To put a check on illegal constructions in the city, MC Commissioner G S Ghuman has asked senior town planner (STP) Balkar Singh Brar take appropriate action in this regard.

Brar was chargesheeted a week ago by the Department of Local Bodies for supporting an illegal construction in Model Town area. Earlier, the charge was with Joint Commissioner Devinder Singh.

While confirming the move, Ghuman said, “The STP was in-charge of the branch earlier too. Around two months ago, the charge was given to the joint commissioner because Brar had some urgent work in hand. As I was not happy with the work of Devinder Singh, I have given the charge back to Brar.”

On asked as why the charge has been given to Brar as he has been chargesheeted in a case, he said, “The Municipal Town Planner (MTP) is also chargesheeted. Moreover, he was not delivering the desired results. Someone had to be given the charge as I cannot always go out to check the illegal constructions.”

Sources revealed that the STP and MTP have been chargesheeted a number of times for building bylaws violation.”

Even assistant town planners are in the loop and have been chargesheeted for one reason or the other.

“I will keep an eye on the entire operation and I don’t think something wrong can happen,” Ghuman added.

According to the norms laid down by the government, an STP cannot interfere in the day-to-day functioning of the Municipal Corporation. He is only supposed to look after the overall planning jobs of the state.

However, in the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, the STP looks after demolition exercises and even the other routine works of the corporation on daily basis.