E-Paper
Patiala MC sent list of violators a month ago, police fail to register cases
Though the Patiala municipal corporation (MC) seems to be serious on the defacement issue in the city and had already sent the list of violators to the police a month ago, recommending registration of FIRs against them; the police administration is in ‘no mood’ to take action against the culprits on the basis of the MC report.
Though the Patiala municipal corporation (MC) seems to be serious on the defacement issue in the city and had already sent the list of violators to the police a month ago, recommending registration of FIRs against them; the police administration is in ‘no mood’ to take action against the culprits on the basis of the MC report.
It must be mentioned that on June 23, MC commissioner Parminder Singh Gill had written to senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gurmeet Singh Chauhan for taking action against the violators, but not even a single FIR has been registered on his recommendation till date.
“A list of the firms and institutes violating the law was forwarded to the SSP about a month ago. We had recommended booking them under the Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1997,” said Gill.
Notably the MC had written to the police department to book as many as 15 firms for defacing and littering city’s properties by posting advertisement posters around the city. Three complaints have already been withdrawn by the MC as these firms approached the civic body by saying that they did not receive any notice about the defacement.
According to the MC, the violators were served show-cause notice thrice before the recommendation of the cases against them, but not even a single firm from these took the notice seriously.
“The action was necessitated since the violators did not respond to the warnings of the civic body against defacement. It is also important as it would set an example for others who are violating the law in the city,” said Gill.
Once booked, the violators can be punished with imprisonment for a term extending up to six months or a fine up to Rs 1,000 or both under the said Act.
Civic body blames police
“We have compiled the report after the research on ground zero and send it to police for the further action,” said Gill.
He added that the MC had completed all the formalities from their end and now the police had to take the case forward and register the cases against the violators. Despite making repeated attempts, SSP Gurmeet Singh Chauhan did not respond to the query for delaying of the police action.
MC commissioner trains guns on SSP
Pointing out the communication gap from the police’s side, Gill said the police department did not inform them about the delay in the registration of cases.
He added that ever since they have sent the report to police, no communication has been received by the MC from them. “The police have neither registered any FIRs against the violators nor have approached the civic body for further progress details of the cases,” he said.
