The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken a tough stand on the excessive delay in notifying the master plan of Kharar city. The High Court has attached the salary of three state government officials till September 23.
These include the Principal Secretary of the Housing and Urban Department, the Chief Town Planner of the Town and Country Planning Department and the Principal Secretary of the Local Bodies Department. The court has taken this decision due to the disregard of its previous orders and the government’s inaction.
Master plan made, but not notified in five
Kharar is the second largest city in Punjab after Mohali. It is the largest assembly constituency in Punjab. Big housing projects are being set up here. It is included in the Tricity. But the story of the master plan here is very interesting.
The master plan here was made in 2010, whose duration was till 2020. A new master plan has been made in 2020, but it has not been formally notified till date. Due to the absence of a master plan, construction in the area was not done in a proper manner, which had an adverse effect on both the urban structure and law and order.
No action even after court order
When this matter reached the court, the court had ordered Punjab to notify the master plan within eight months last year. But even after this, no proper action was taken. After this, the petitioner knocked the door of the court again. Also filed a contempt petition in this matter.
The High Court, while hearing the petition, had banned construction in Kharar. The court had clarified that until the master plan is finalized, new construction cannot be allowed. After this, when clear information was not presented in the court during the hearing, the court issued orders to attach the salaries of the officials.
Confusion leads to corruption
The court has clearly stated in its order that this matter is no longer limited to the delay in an urban development plan, but it has become a test of the accountability of the governance system and administrative will. In the absence of a master plan, the administration is giving permission for construction work, but this construction should be in accordance with the future master plan. This is not only creating confusion, but also opening the way for corruption.
