Crackdown on illegal PG houses

Estate Office seals house at Sec 35

Chandigarh, July 20
Cracking down on illegal paying guest (PG) accommodations in residential premises, the UT estate office sealed the first-ever such accommodation here this morning.
A one kanal house (no. 320) in Sector 35, with eight rooms located on the upper floors, became the first target of the estate office after it was sealed. As many as 40 paying guests were being housed there.
The estate office’s team accompanied by the local police swooped on the premises at around 8 am and started legal proceedings. The team found that five rooms on the first floor and three rooms on the second floor were being used to accommodate around 40 students.
The action was taken following a complaint alleging that the owners of the house were running the PG facility without taking the required permission from the estate office.
While Rupinder Kaur, who claimed to be the owner of the house, alleged that she did not receive any prior notice or warning from the estate office, officials maintained that all required legal procedures were followed in the case.
“A prior notice was served on September 13, 2010. Besides, we used to paste a copy of the notice on the wall of the premises as per rule. It was done in this case,” said Ravinder Sharma, Inspector (misuse and enforcement).
Despite sufficient opportunity and time given to the owner as well as to the occupier to stop running the PG without permission, they did not pay any heed to stop the misuse, he said.
“We found around 40 students staying in the house. Each room had at least five beds and most of the PGs were present in the house when we conducted the raid,” said Sharma.
Apart from sealing the premises, the department would also demand misuse charges from the owner as well as the occupier of the premises, he added. The charges are Rs 500 sq ft per month from the date of serving of the notice. The estate office has already issued about 120 notices to residents of the city.
“As the Administration has sped up its work in the direction, more sealing of such premises is on the cards,” said Rahul Gupta, Assistant Estate Officer. He advised people seeking PG accommodation to ensure that house owners had taken permission.
Even though hundreds of people are staying in the city as PGs, a mere six residents have sought permission from the estate office so far.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had recently directed UT Home Secretary Ram Niwas to look into the representation of a local resident in accordance with law, wherein it had been pointed out that a large number of unauthorised PGs have been residing in Sector 35.
Meanwhile, all PGs, most of whom are students of various educational institutes here, had a tough time after the authorities sealed the rooms. They spent the day sitting in a park or in front of the house, but found it hard to make arrangements for the night. “Some of us have booked rooms in a bhawan while the others will be staying at their friends’ places or gurdwaras. We are suffering for no fault of ours,” said a PG.