With the Municipal Corporation starting the process of issuing notices to the owners who are constructing new buildings in Mohali after the building collapse last month, spotlight is back on hundreds of buildings constructed over the years in satellite towns like Kharar and Zirakpur. Most of such buildings house paying guest (PG) accommodations. The towns like Kharar and Zirakpur have hundreds of PGs which are being run without permission from the competent authorities. Not only the PGs, the illegally constructed buildings are rented out to run gyms and shops. Most of the illegally constructed buildings are located in the villages which came within the jurisdiction of the civic bodies in Mohali, Zirakpur, Kharar and Derabassi. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Aashika Jain had directed all the civic bodies to crack down on the construction of illegal buildings in the district to prevent the Sohana-like building collapses in future. Following the orders, the Mohali MC had issued 45 notices to the owners of buildings where violations were found. Sources in the MC said that the civic body had also identified around 40 high-rise buildings in Mohali where violations had taken place. Most of the buildings are in villages like Mohali, Shahi Majra, Matour, Sohana and Kumbra which had become part of the MC in the past few years. The MC will start disconnecting water and power connection of the buildings if the owners fail to respond to the notices issued by the MC. On December 23, a multi-storey building at Sohana had collapsed resulting in the death of two persons. Municipal Commissioner (MC) T Benith said that they will take on the people who construct buildings illegally. However, the building collapse at Sohana has put a question mark on hundreds of buildings constructed with the permission of the authorities. Residents oppose MC’s action Many residents of Sohana village oppose the MC’s move of issuing notices to the building owners. The residents allege that the MC was issuing notices to people who are even digging their floors. Former sarpanch of Sohana village Parwinder Singh Sohana said that the MC should first identify the violations and then issue notices. “The MC can’t force bylaws of cities in villages. If they want, first they should develop the villages. They are issuing notices to everyone who is making even minor alterations in their houses. It is unfair,” Sohana added.
