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Non-payment of CLU charges: MC seals Ghumar Mandi market association president’s shop
Shopkeepers said that the MC is levying CLU charges on those shops which were established even before the CLU norms came into existence in 1995.
Amid a hue and cry being raised by shopkeepers in Ghumar Mandi against the recovery of Change of Land Use (CLU) charges, the municipal corporation (MC) sealed the shop of the president of the market association on Monday citing non-payment of pending charges.
The MC’s move agitated shopkeepers who later met Mayor Balkar Sandhu at MC’s Zone D office demanding that the sealing drive should be stopped. Shopkeepers said that the MC is levying CLU charges even on those shops which were established even before the CLU norms came into existence in 1995. They said that different rates are being charged against the shops situated on the same road.
President of Ghumar Mandi shopkeepers’ association, Pawan Batra said, “We have asked the MC officials to stop taking alleged illegal action against shops otherwise traders would be forced to raise an agitation. Legally, the MC cannot recover CLU charges from shops that were established before 1995. We will not allow them to seal more shops in the market and if required, we will also move court.”
Earlier the members of Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal had also announced that they would move court against the civic body.
MC joint commissioner, Kulpreet Singh said, “No illegal action is being taken against shopkeepers and shops are also being sealed in other markets of the city due to non-payment of pending charges. Shopkeepers have the right to raise their issues, but we are not taking any illegal action against them and they will have to pay the pending charges.”
Earlier, chairman of Punjab Small Industries and Exports Corporation (PSIEC) and Congress councillor, Gurpreet Gogi had also raised objection against the action being taken by the MC. Last week, shopkeepers had also staged a protest against the civic body after they had sealed two shops in the market. The MC has served around 2,300 notices for recovering the pending CLU charges from shopkeepers.
. MC seals six shops
Taking action against shopkeepers who failed to deposit CLU charges, MC sealed six shops situated in different areas on Monday. As per the information, one shop was sealed in the Ghumar Mandi area, three at Pakhowal road, and two at Satsang road (near Bindraban road). Another shop was sealed in the town planning scheme area (residential) of Punjab Mata Nagar Nagar due to CLU violation.
