Mohali mayor alleges bias in anti-encroachment drive

Sidhu alleged that the drive was not conducted in a systematic manner and selectively targeted areas represented by Congress councillors.

Mohali mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu on Thursday accused the bureaucracy of bias and high-handedness in the ongoing anti-encroachment drive being carried out by the Municipal Corporation and the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA).

The mayor claimed that mandatory 90-day notices were not issued, nor were awareness camps organised or public announcements made. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Sidhu alleged that the drive was not conducted in a systematic manner and selectively targeted areas represented by Congress councillors. “The drive could have started from Phase 6 or Phase 11, but it was first taken up in Phase 4. When residents protested in Phase 11 and Phase 10, officials shifted the action to Phase 7. In areas close to the ruling party, only token action was taken,” he said.

The mayor claimed that mandatory 90-day notices were not issued, nor were awareness camps organised or public announcements made. “Houses of elderly residents and families living outside the city were demolished and left unsecured, increasing the risk of theft. There is also no post-demolition plan or maintenance programme,” he said, adding that officials would be held accountable in the future.