NGT panel inspects Siswan choe

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 15

The monitoring committee of the National Green Tribunal, headed by a former Judge of the Punjab and High Court, Justice Jasbir Singh, inspected the Siswan choe at Bharonjian and Kansal villages in Mohali today.

The five-member committee, led by the chairman, Justice Jasbir Singh, arrived at Bharonjian village at 9 am where at least 35 officials of GMADA, PUDA, the Punjab Pollution Control Board and the Revenue Department were waiting. The committee sought maps and documents in connection with the natural flow of the Siswan choe.

Siswan choe

Committee members held discussions with officials and representatives of the builder concerned for about four hours Sources said Justice Jasbir Singh directed officials of the Revenue Department to provide a demarcated site plan of the choe. The representatives of the builder presented their viewpoint stating that the construction had been carried out as per the plan approved by GMADA.

On February 24, the NGT had taken a serious note of the alleged change in the natural course of the Siswan choe by the builder.

The committee also interacted with the complainant, Manjinder Singh, who provided the team with the site map prepared by Punjab Engineering College in 2009. Manjinder Singh said they were satisfied with the inquiry conducted by the monitoring committee of the NGT.

The Executive Engineer of the Drainage Department, GMADA, Parminder Singh, said they had provided documents regarding the site. He said further action would be taken after receiving the recommendations of the monitoring committee, which would submit its report to the NGT by April 30.