The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Pits outside homes anger MC chief
Water supply through tankers ordered
Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, January 31
The situation in Ajit Nagar and some adjoining localities where 60-odd cases of jaundice were reported during last week, is fast returning to normal with many patients showing signs of recovery. Even though officials maintain that there is no need for panic, yet remedial measures by the civic body in close coordination with the Health Department are in full swing and nothing is being left to chance.

The Commissioner of Municipal Corporation R.L. Kalsia, accompanied by Mr S.K. Sharma, Additional Commissioner, officers of health, water supply and sanitation departments in the MC and officials of the Health Department and the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board went round the affected area and met a large number of residents to assess the situation. He visited some houses from where incidence of jaundice was reported.

While the visiting team of officials found the general sanitation level in the locality satisfactory, thanks to the commendable work being done by the Mohalla Sanitation Committee, residents complained that in several pockets the water supply was contaminated, which might have led to the outbreak of jaundice. The MC employees had distributed chlorine tablets and the residents asked to make use of these to purify the drinking water.

Another major factor which could have been behind the outbreak of jaundice in the locality is disposal pits for dirty water dug outside almost each house due to the absence of a sewerage system. At many places, the water mainlines as well as those for domestic supply pass right through the middle of these pits, thereby multiplying the possibility of sullage and dirty water being mixed with water supply from the MC tubewell.

Mr Kalsia told the accompanying Ludhiana Tribune team that the disposal pits dug outside the houses in streets had been ordered to be immediately covered. Private plumbers enlisted with the MC who had provided water connections passing through the disposal pits would be proceeded against. Further, till the supply of safe drinking water was assured throughout the locality, water would be supplied through tankers.

The MC Commissioner pulled up officials of Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board for laying main water supply lines right through the disposal pits and told them in no uncertain terms to take remedial steps to ensure that there were no leaking pipes and all domestic supply lines were away from disposal pits within five days. Instructions were issued to thoroughly clean the water reservoirs.

District Health Officer Dr R.C. Garg, who was present at the spot, told the Ludhiana Tribune that out of four random water samples taken from the area, two had passed the laboratory test whereas two were found unfit for human consumption.

Goons help make settling old scores easy, thrive under police nose
D. B. Chopra

Ludhiana, January 31
Even though the residents of the city would like to believe that they are living in a civilised society where law and order prevails, a mafia continues to flourish in the city right under the nose of the city police. So much so that easily one can “resolve” conflicts, “settle” old scores and property disputes by paying a certain amount.

To have a bird’s eyeview of the current law and order situation in the city, here are some cases:

Two cars full of men, armed with hockey sticks, iron rods and kirpans, arrive outside a house in Ghumar Mandi and challenge the occupants to come out. When the intimidated occupants do not dare to do so, the men force their way into the house and start beating anyone and everyone who comes in their way. At the same time, the attackers use foul language and threaten everyone. Having accomplished their assigned task, they simply disappear. Reason, someone wanted to settle an old score with the family. A report is lodged with the police. A couple of suspects are named while the others are referred to as unknown persons.

In a similar case in Janak Puri, a man and his wife are beaten mercilessly over some minor dispute. Here too, the complainants identify a couple of accused while identity of the rest of the attackers remain unknown.

In an unreported case witnessed by this correspondent, a couple of teenagers bashed up another teenager for allegedly having teased a girlfriend of one of them. The boy, who is not physically strong enough to retaliate the same way, buys the services of a tipsy ‘havaldar’ posted at Jamalpur naka. He does not have the money to buy a bottle of whisky but promises the policeman that once his job is done, he would pay the cost of the bottle to him. The policeman arrives on the scene but by that time one of the ‘culprits’ had gone away.

So the one who was still present, had to bear the brunt of the policeman’s ire. And at the end of the beating session, the cop warned the boy that he must not be seen in the area again.

The murder of a leading industrialist of the city, Nirmal Jain, about a month ago, was also the handiwork of hired assassins. Though murders do not take place every day, a number of cases of assault take place in the city every day in which “some unknown persons” are involved. The reasons behind these quarrels are varied. Someone wants to ‘throw out’ one’s tenant. Someone wants to take possession of a disputed property and yet someone else just wants to take out revenge on somebody for one reason or the other. And then, there are a number of money-lenders in the city who have to adopt arm-twisting methods to ensure the recovery of their interest and the principal sum.

As far as the question as to who are these unknown persons is concerned, investigations by Ludhiana Tribune reveal that if one wants anybody beaten up to settle some score and can afford to spend some money for the purpose, any number of goons can be hired for the job.

A large number of these goons are history-sheeters while a large number of these goons, who have joined them recently, are in fact history-sheeters in the making. Investigations also reveal that the services of these goons are getting more expensive these days. A man, who recently approached one such goon after he was beaten up by some persons, was asked to dole out Rs 5,000 to ‘straighten’ up the guy concerned. The goon even assured that a leg would also be broken. When the man tried to strike a bargain, he was told to shut up as the job would also involve the use of a ‘ghughu’ to intimidate the “quarry” and ward off any possible public support. In the lingo of city’s underworld, a ‘ghughu’ means a pistol or a revolver.

After the introduction of the beat system in the city, under which areas falling under various police stations of the city have been divided into different beats and beat officers have been appointed and authorised to register parchas even under Section 302 of the IPC. Advisory committees, consisting of 50 citizens from all strata of society in every beat, have also been formed. But one hoped at that time that the beat officers, in consultation with the advisory committee members, would prepare a list of all anti-social elements of the area. Even if such lists have been made, these anti-social elements continue to rule the roost.

Before they go after a particular target, these goons, led by their respective dons, prefer to go high on alcohol and other drugs, including the ‘badams’. As their first objective is to strike terror in the heart of their victim, the inebriated gangster leading the attack swings his body as well as his sword around so viciously that even the on-lookers get terrified and it really requires a heart of steel to go to a police station and lodge a report against such vicious goons. To add to their power is the fact that these dons enjoy the patronage of one political leader or the other.

The priorities of the local police, however, seem to be elsewhere as Mr H.S. Sidhu, after taking over as SSP after the transfer of Mr Kuldeep Singh, started telephoning various “thanedars” and asking for a specified number of parchas registered against eve-teasers. A large number of the so-called ‘eve-teasers’ were booked. It was claimed that the ‘campaign’ against eve-teasers had been a great success.

The campaign against “eve-teasers” was followed by campaign against noise-makers. The Noise Control Act of 1956 was taken out of the closet and used against auto-drivers and other citizens who played music on high volume. A meeting of representatives of religious places and institutes was also called where the representatives assured judicious use of the PA system. But the people who disturb the citizens most of all, namely the various “jagran” groups, were not told to dispense with their sound systems.

These campaigns, though welcomed by and large, have left people wondering about the priorities of the local police. While the police chief might be patting himself on the back for these successes, the fact remains that the threat of mercenaries, who can even kill for money, continues to loom large over the city.

Ex-gangster tortured by old rivals
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 31
In a shocking incident arising out of old rivalry between gangsters, a former gang member who had reformed and left the gang long time back was brutally tortured by over 10 gang members in the victim’s house in Baba Jeewan Singh Basti on Tuesday night. The gangsters inflicted several stab wounds on the victim and sliced pieces of flesh from several parts of his body. They kidnapped him and later left him at some place on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh road.

The gangsters, whose identity was unknown, also seriously injured a nihang, who was a neighbour of the victim and tried to save him.

The victim Raju had gone missing and the nihang Kehar Singh was waiting for police action in the case. The clever gangsters forced Raju to undergo a medical examination at the Civil Hospital on Tuesday night and state before the doctors that he had been beaten up by the nihang.

Raju could not be traced but a close family sources narrated the incident to Ludhiana Tribune. The incident was significant as it threw light on the activities of hardened criminals, who forced reformed ones to return to old ways.

While both the victims had undergone a medical examination at the Civil Hospital, the police had not registered a case. While the nihang claimed that he had given a complaint to a head constable at Tajpur chowki, the chowki officials refused that any such complaint had been lodged with them.

The Ludhiana Tribune team searched in vain for the victim, who for obvious reasons had not lodged any complaint at any police station so far.

According to the nihang, on Tuesday night at about 11 p.m., he heard loud shrieks of Raju. When he ran to Raju’s house, he saw more than 10 persons armed with rods and knives torturing Raju.

He said he jumped on the assailants, but was hit by rods and stabbed on the leg. As more people gathered, the gansgters picked up the wailing and bleeding Raju and took him away in a jeep.

Raju returned the next morning in a rickshaw with bandages all over his body.

He told that he was further beaten and stabbed as the gangsters were forcing him to join them in a criminal act. He said later the gangsters took him to the Civil Hospital and forced him to state he was beaten by the nihang. The victim told before the colony residents that he had to lie in order to save his life.

The nihang, while talking to Ludhiana Tribune, said Raju was with the gang a year back, but had reformed after getting married. He was working as labourer and had bought a house in the colony two months back.

Inquiries from the Tajpur chowki revealed that they had no record of any such complaint. It was learnt that the complaint was with a head constable who was not in the police chowki this evening. Police sources confirmed that the nihang had come to the chowki on that night, but the staff was busy in VIP route duty in connection with the visit of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Competition makes subscriber king
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 31
With several private companies entering into the field of telecommunications, it seems like happy days ahead for thousands of city subscribers, who have been for long at the mercy of the Department of Telecommunication (DoT).

There has been a sudden spurt in the number of service providers that have targeted this industrial city with a bid to capture business.

After tolerating the whims and fancies of the DoT, residents heaved a sigh of relief with the introduction of mobile services from Spice. The telecom infrastructure was further expanded with the introduction of Connect mobile and land line services. And now it is the turn of the BSNL, Air Tel and Reliance to establish their grip over the subscribers. Even though the BSNL has announced a delay in launching its much-hyped cellular and WLL mobile services for the Punjab circle, city residents are very hopeful of getting better and more economical facilities in the future. The BSNL will now arrive in the city by the end of the year, whereas Reliance and Air Tel have already setup offices here.

Knowing the pulse of the subscribers, Spice Telecom has started giving attractive packages.

Ms Ritu Sehgal, a Connect subscriber, said due to competition Connect had slashed its rates on outgoing calls.

Mr Sandeep Jalota, one of the local dealers for Bharti Telecom’s Air Tel, said, “The company will soon start its services in the city”.

Reliance Infocom is also all set to launch its products within next six months. One of the coordinators, on condition of anonymity, said the company would launch both land line and mobile facilities. The cable-laying process has already been started.

COMMUNITY

Amarinder defends ad campaign against CM
Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 31
The Pradesh Congress President, Capt Amarinder Singh has defended his party’s advertisement campaign, which has targeted Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, by launching personal attacks on Mr Badal, his family and the policies adopted by them. Capt Amarinder Singh said that these advertisements were being published after seeking the approval of the Election Commission of India.

Denying that the advertising campaign was in anyway a deviation from his earlier public stand of believing in “principled politics”, he said that his party was only highlighting what Mr Badal, his family and the Cabinet had done during their term in office. Without paying heed to the reports that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) would file a written complaint to the EC against these advertisements, Capt Amarinder Singh said, “These advertisements had been approved by the EC”. He claimed, that this was a fact and not a simple accusation. These were the allegations against a Chief Minister, who had “misused his power and authority”.

By simply claiming it to be a “personal attack” the SAD could not escape the retribution that it had to face and account for all acts of omission and commission, the PCC President asserted. He pointed out the individual acts would obviously be personal.

Capt Amarinder Singh had been claiming that he had been maintaining the election code of conduct strictly and had never deviated from electoral ethics. However, he said, Mr Badal could accused of these charges only, because he alone had remained the Chief Minister, for all these five years and he alone had done all this. “The Chief Minister and Mr Badal meant one and the same thing”, he pointed out.

In a professionally-designed election campaign, the Congress had launched a scathing attack on the Akalis that was being widely published in various newspapers in the region. The campaign was launched on Republic Day, wherein the advertisement contained a simple pledge by Mrs Sonia Gandhi, President of the All-India Congress and Capt Amarinder Singh to provide to the people “a government that governs and an administration that administers”. It also appealed to people to vote for clean politics by voting for the Congress.

The very next advertisement in the campaign said “the great betrayal - SYL”, a direct attack on Mr Badal accusing him of signing a mortgage deed that would facilitate the flow of Punjab waters through the SYL canal bartering “future of the Punjab Kisan in favour of Om Parkash Chautala”. All this in lieu of a “gift deed allotting Mr Badal a 22-acre plot in Gurgaon by the Haryana Government”. The advertisement that also contained caricatures of Mr Badal and Haryana Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala which further read “Punjab interests - sacrificed for personal greed”.

The campaign continued with another advertisement that read “all promises-no performance”. This advertisement contained various promises and schemes that the SAD-BJP alliance had announced that included declaration of assets by SAD-BJP MLAs within 90 days, awarding Maharaja Ranjit Singh award for honesty, setting up of an inquiry commission on terrorism, bringing colleges and schools under the government grant on the pattern followed by Delhi, providing health infrastructure at door-step in rural areas. The advertisement claimed says that the SAD-BJP had government failed to fulfill these promises because “in the past five years -they were busy making themselves prosperous”.

The nature of the advertisements changed from an attack on the SAD-BJP government to Mr Badal with the campaign adopting “remove Badal save Punjab, vote for Congress” slogan. The Congress claimed in one of its recent advertisements that “Five years ago we left Punjab a prosperous state. Today Punjab is left with nothing …. except prosperous ministers” The state’s debt had risen to Rs 63,000 crore, the Congress claimed.

The Akalis had taken a serious view of the personal attack on Mr Badal and had announced that they would approach the Election Commission to stop the campaign. Besides, the Akalis had engaged a well known national media agency to plan a campaign against Congress leaders on similar lines that would target Captain Amarinder Singh as being inaccessible and following a luxurious life style, highlighting some controversies involving the erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala and his political aides.

Later the PCC chief, while talking to mediapersons today, counted the promises made by the SAD in its election manifesto in 1997 and claimed that only two had been fulfilled. Addressing a press conference here, Capt Amarinder Singh said, except for providing free power to farmers and abolishing the octroi, none of the promises had been fulfilled.

The PCC president displayed the copies of the manifesto and the common minimum programme of the SAD and the BJP, in which he said, most of the promises had not been fulfilled. “Instead”, he said, “the Badal government had indulged in corruption only”. He claimed that the government would not have even abolished the octroi, had it not been pressurised by the Congress.

Several local leaders and the party candidates, including Mr Surinder Dawer from Ludhiana East, Mr Harnam Dass Johar from Ludhiana West and the acting District Congress Committee chief, Mr K.K. Bawa. Youth Congress leaders, Mr Pawan Dewan, Mr Amarjeet Singh Tikka and Mr Parminder Mehta were also present at the press conference.

SAD CAMPAIGN
Subtle intra-party intrigues at work
Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 31
Notwithstanding the warning and threats issued by the Chief Minister and the SAD president, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to the dissidents for not supporting the official candidates, some senior party leaders are supporting candidates in other constituencies and not in their own. This is being done just to evade action against them on disciplinary grounds for not joining the party’s campaign actively.

Ludhiana West and the Ludhiana Rural, present a typical example of intra-party intrigues and how successfully these are executed without provoking any disciplinary action. In Ludhiana West, Mr Avtar Singh Makkar being supported by Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, who enjoys influence in Ludhiana Rural. And in Ludhiana Rural Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal is being supported by Mr Amarjit Singh Bhatia who has his pockets of influence in Ludhiana West. Just because Mr Dhillon and Mr Bhatia do not want to support the official candidates, in their respective segments, they have been “campaigning” in other segments where they have no significant stakes.

Mr Makkar is locked in a tough contest with the Congress candidate, Mr Harnam Dass Johar in Ludhiana West. Congress opposition apart, he was faced with the threat of internal sabotage as his arch rival within the party and vice-president, Mr Amarjit Singh Bhatia, who was also a claimant for the ticket was reluctant to support him.

During his recent tour, the Chief Minister, asked Mr Bhatia to join the campaign. Mr Bhatia expressed his reservations in campaigning in Ludhiana West, pleading that he was prepared to work for the party candidates in any of the 116 other constituencies. He opted for Ludhiana Rural, where Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal is locked in a triangular contest with the Panthic Morcha candidate, Mr Hira Singh Ghabria and Mr Milkait Singh Beermi of the Congress being other two powerful candidates.

Mr Aliwal is also faced with a similar problem. The president of the youth wing of the SAD, Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, who was himself an aspirant for the Ludhiana Rural ticket, is not campaigning for Mr Aliwal. Instead, he is campaigning for Mr Makkar in Ludhiana West, where he may not have any significant influence. Mr Dhillon had been working all these years in Ludhiana Rural and had in fact been appointed in charge of the segment by the Chief Minister, after Mr Ghabria resigned from the party.

Party insiders admitted that such campaigning would hardly yield any significant benefits since the dissident leaders were campaigning just for the heck of it as they had hardly any interest or influence in the areas they had opted to campaign in. In case they had decided to work seriously and sincerely in their own respective areas, it could have made a major difference.

CITY SCAN
Kashmiri roots of city’s economy
M. S. Cheema

PHYSICAL features separate many lands, while some features provide several links. History is mostly the story of power seekers causing wars. Few win, many lose. It, however, directly or indirectly, records in parts the lamps which men of vision lit in the darkness of mind. Kashmir is close to our hearts. History throws light upon human bonds : Noor-ud Din — alias Nand Rishi, Habba Khatoon, Zoon, the moon; Lallah Jogeshwari, Lal Dedh. Bhai Vir Singh, the Tagore of Punjab, treats many Kashmiri themes. He is a Punjabi poet, the landscape in his poetry is richly Kashmiri — chinars to chashmas, lakes to highlands. Also persons to mystics, arts and mysticism. Dhani Ram Chatrik’s collections of poems bear such titles Chandanwari and Kesar Kiari . Epic Lakshmi Devi by Kirpa Sagar is an excellent legacy of poetic videography of Jammu and Duggar desh. These books form cultural bonds.

No, this is no sentimental journey. Poetry, art or culture are not escape routes, they are levels of human existence. Also we have close economic, commercial and political ties.

Ludhiana has many stages of its development. The periodic arrival of Kashmiris changed its economy and life-pattern. Handloom and needle work brought about qualitative changes. A Kashmiri mohalla also came up. Due to several famine, natural calamities and man-caused tragedies, Kashmiris took refuge outside their state and here. After the worst famine of 1883, the Kashmiris found Ludhiana as a most suitable place. The handloom area of the town acquired the name, Khadd Mohalla because of khadi. Though it carried on as Khudd Mohalla since 1947.

Some Soofi deras came up. A few mazars and graves were still visible. Khadikhaddar of Ludhiana became a trade mark in freedom movement. Khes, chaddar, militia and several cotton fabrics won a wider market. With arrival of electricity, the handloom graduated to power looms. Ludhiana immediately gained new markets. Subsequently, it acquired a new image matching that of Ahmedabad, Baroda, etc.

The Kashmiri hand in handloom was clearly distinguishable. The wars opened new commercial avenues. It became a centre of production of uniforms for the Army, police and the Railways. Several firms came up — Bashir Bhai, Ramzan Bhai, Sufis, Khawajas, Army Store, Capital Store, etc. The Kashmiri workers were leading in making caps, kullahs and turban cloth.

These looms were the forerunners of hosiery. A wise man visited Germany where he spotted a knitting machine and brought it here. A new image of Ludhiana sprang up — the Manchester of India. Such were transforming factors with roots in the needle craft of Kashmiris, in particular.

Bitter and long winter of valley had always put people indoors. Needle craft was the economic means for survival. Kashmiris took the shawls and woollens to the nearby markets. During Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s rule, it was Amritsar. During the British Raj, Ludhiana attracted attention. The city had big godowns stocking Kashmiri woollens, handicrafts, shawls, carpets. The pashmina and shatoosh were prestigious things to own. Shawls were part of ceremonies of honour and awards. Women purchased dozens of shawls. The elite made gifts of these. Kashmiris by their crafts had earned a place in economy and commerce of the city. During the middle ages, Kashmiri able-bodied persons migrated to Punjab during chilly winters. The Malwa jungles attracted them. The axe provided the firewood. Towns and cities needed wood and charcoal as fuel. Kashmiris’ contribution was easily traceable.

During the Partition, Kashmiris suffered as Punjab and Bengal did. The causes were different. Kashmiris suffered at the hands of raiders and looters. Tragically, they were the co-religionists from Kashmiri majority.

Kashmiris made appearance here full of hope soon after the Muslims migrated. Not a single person was discriminated against. They opened Kashmiri dhabas near the GT Road. One was very popular near Lakshmi Cinema.

Besides needle craft and tailoring, the Kashmiris were excellent wood carver and caneworkers. The wallnut tree was their choice against chandan and sandal. Items of wood-craft such as furniture, screens, lamp-stands, ornamental and decorative pieces came to form part of middle class homes. The elite paid more for quality. Kashmiris were already a part of our assimilative and progressive culture. Ludhiana had its doors open on all sides as it welcomed and not just tolerated. Zutshi, Dhar, Kaul, Raina etc were well-known professionals. Dogras were prominent residents.

Imagine Urdu fiction without Saadat Hassan Manto. He was of Kashmiri stock from Papraudi village, near Samrala. Again, Urdu poetry minus the lyrics of Sahir Ludhianvi was unimaginable. His mother, Bibi Sardar Begum, belonged to a Kashmiri family, dealing in fresh and dry fruits. Gen T.N. Raina, COAS (C-in-C), was a student of the Government College.

His father, Pandit T.N. Raina, was the city’s postmaster. Since Independence, the Punjabi blood had also been flowing down the Sindh, Jhelum and Chenab for Kashmiris.

Blood of Ludhianvis was shed in wars in defence of Kashmir. Many youths from Ludhiana died for the country. The glaciers of Kargil received their blood permanently. Who would break these links written in blood?

It’s big time for small-time artistes
Kamal Kishore Shankar

Ludhiana, January 31
Thanks to nukkad rallies by various political parties to allure voters before the state Assembly elections, small-time artists and singers are making a fast buck. Talented or not, organisers hire their services to hold the commoners till the contestants and leaders arrive for canvassing.

These artistes are very busy nowadays. One of the organisers of these rallies says these singers and artistes are paid Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,500, depending on their ability. He adds that for disseminating their messages, leaders’ direct contact with voters is necessary and it is not possible for them to reach in time at about six to ten functions in different areas the same day. Most of the time, they reach late by a couple of hours.

Political parties claim that it is impossible to make the people wait for two to three hours and they need the help of these singers and artistes. Another organiser says it takes about two hours to talk on the party agenda and to listen to people’s problems and demands at one function.

One such artiste says many people consider this wrong but they should be thankful to politicians for giving them a chance to perform before such a large gathering. They are paid for performing the artistes gets a chance of exposure. She says unknown singers who have just begun their career find it difficult to get assignments.

One of the persons enjoying the dance and music says he does not know who will win the power game. During these two weeks before polling, commoners are at liberty to enjoy the free meals and drinks, music and dance. In the absence of all these things, a few people will gather at any political function to listen to the point of view of any political leader, he adds. These entertainment programmes have become a compulsion for all political parties, he opines.

Vote with care, says welfare body chief
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 31
The Environmental and Welfare Association has alleged that the ruling SAD-BJP alliance had done nothing for the welfare of common man during the past five years.

Mr Sher Singh, president of the association, said in a press statement yesterday that the ruling party was harping on various development works completed during their tenure. The money spent out on such projects/schemes was collected by the government/corporation through direct or indirect taxes imposed on the public. The government was the custodian of this money which should be spent on the welfare and constructive work for the benefit of the public.

The president said, “Democracy is said to be government of the people, by the people and for the people, but after election, it changes to government by the ministers, MLAs, of the bureaucrats and for the businessmen.” He added that development was there even during the rule of monarchs, Muslim rulers and Mughals. The British Government had also made wonderful developments like spreading of railway system, irrigation system, metalled roads through length and width of the Indian sub-continent.

Mr Sher Singh said the city had four Assembly seats and 72 Corporation wards and the MLAs and Councillors had done nothing for the development of the city. There had been no check on encroachments and pollution, the factories were flourishing in the residential areas and favouritism and corruption had increased.