E-Paper
Bosses drive a 50, no good!
NEARLY 50 ANTI-ENCROACHMENT drives by various civic authorities in last six months have not been able to remove encroachments from the city roads. Interestingly, after each anti- encroachment drive not only the encroachments have returned with a bang but they are getting thicker with each passing day. Lucknow Municipal Corporation along with LDA and PWD claim to have carried out nearly 50 anti-encroachments drives in the city during the last six months.
NEARLY 50 ANTI-ENCROACHMENT drives by various civic authorities in last six months have not been able to remove encroachments from the city roads.
Interestingly, after each anti- encroachment drive not only the encroachments have returned with a bang but they are getting thicker with each passing day.
Lucknow Municipal Corporation along with LDA and PWD claim to have carried out nearly 50 anti-encroachments drives in the city during the last six months.
The officials of various civic authorities claim number of anti- encroachment drives reflect their seriousness and commitment to free the city roads from the menace of encroachment.
Leader of opposition in LMC house Mujeeb-Ur-Rehman Babloo has different opinion on this issue. He said, “They carry out these drives to please the higher officials and court where a petition regarding encroachment is pending. If these anti- encroachment drives would have been carried out in the right spirit by the by these civic authorities then all the encroachments on city roads would have ended but the reality is different. There has been phenomenal increase in encroachments on city roads after every anti- encroachment drive carried out by the LMC”.
“The worst thing is that the fear of LMC anti-encroachment drives between the encroachers has faded away. Instead a deep rooted nexus has emerged between encroachers, LMC officials, corporators, Police and politicians who are busy in minting money through promoting encroachments,” he added.
Former municipal commissioner Alok Kumar had pointed finger towards the police encroacher’s nexus through a confidential letter to district magistrate in November. Kumar was upset over the reemergence of meat shops in Billauchpura, Munshi Pulia and Guddamba after they were removed by the LMC anti encroachment squad. In his letter Alok Kumar blamed police for reemergence of encroachments after the LMC squad removed them.
“We have carried out number of anti-encroachment drives in the past few months. We were able to remove encroachments from Nishatganj lane 5 and other places but they emerge again,” said Santosh Kumar acting municipal commissioner and added, “It is the duty of the police to stop encroachments once the LMC clears the area, but they don’t bother to check encroachments on road.”
