JPJI Correspondent:

The survey of illegal colonies being ordered by the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who holds the housing portfolio in Punjab come as a shocker for all, especially in the Chief Minister’s area. Out of total 732 colonies existing in five districts falling under the jurisdiction of the Bathinda Development Authority BDA, as many as 637(app 85%) are unapproved.

The Bathinda development authority was created on 3rd October 2007 vide notification no.13/31/2007-6HG2/8001 and the Chief administrator, BDA was made the competent authority u/s2(l)  of PAPRA,1995 for the area falling within the jurisdiction of BDA.

The BDA covers the districts namely, Bathinda, Muktsar, Fazilka, Faridkot and Mansa. After scanning all colonies existing in the five districts, the BDA surveyors found out of 223 colonies in Bathinda district 193 were totally illegal.

Further, in Muktsar the BDA officials found out of a total of 136 colonies, 132 existed without any approval. In Fazilka there are 131 illegal colonies out off 137 colonies.

Mansa has also seen a great growth of illegal colonies with out of 143 colonies in the district, 116 as illegal.

Further, Faridkot, a district of royals, is also plagued with the same disease. The survey report states that 65 out of 93 colonies were totally illegal as the colonizers converted big chunks of agricultural lands into colonies without the approval of departments concerned.

Shocked with the facts came on record, the BDA officials have now reportedly swung into action of collecting land records of all the unapproved colonies. The department is also planning to book the unscruplous promoters for violation various provisions of PRTPD act, 1995 and PAPRA,1995.Also BDA is in the process of issuing notices to the promoters for getting there colonies regularised. BDA on 3 june also put notices in hindustan times n punjab kesri mentioning the list of colonies and warned the general public not to deal in these colonies as the colonisers have violated various sections of PAPRA,1995 and the colonies ought to be demolished. Besides, the BDA would also soon write to the Tehsildars concerned to put an embargo over the sale purchase of the detected properties.

The authorities had earlier too scanned the colonies and after finding a number of them to be existing illegally, a number of warning boards were installed and in some cases FIRs were also lodged, but no penalties levied.

The Punjab govt should amend the existing provisions of PRTPD act,1995 and PAPRA 1995 to nip this menace in the bud as these colonies will make the cities of Punjab as urban nightmares.