12 structures near Baddowal Ammunition Depot razed

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 13

The district administration’s drive to remove 33 “illegal” constructions within 1,000-m radius of Baddowal Ammunition Depot tapered off.

Only 12 constructions could be razed while the remaining sites could not be traced.

It is learnt that the tehsildar is writing a letter to Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal to carry out another exercise with the help of military personnel.

Sukhbir Brar, an official of the district administration, said they could not find more than 12 constructions.

“We are writing to the DC to allow officials of the district administration and military personnel to carry out a joint exercise,” said Brar.

The administration keeps carrying out such drives on a regular basis to discourage residents from raising structures around the depot.

Heavy police force accompanied the officials. Despite resistance, the officials continued the drive.

An official said the High Court had issued instructions that no construction could be allowed within 1,000-m radius of Baddowal Ammunition Depot. But defying the orders, the residents raised illegal structures in the restricted zone.

“We cannot let people settle around the depot as it is risky. It is certainly for their (the ones who have constructed houses illegally in the restricted zone) welfare that we are vacating the land. The administration keeps carrying out the exercise to remove such constructions, still these have not been removed completely,” said the official.

Way back in 2003 when Anurag Verma was the Deputy Commissioner, a massive drive was conducted by the administration near Baddowal Ammunition Depot and many constructions were removed. Following this, a few residents moved the court.