Representative photograph
Subhash Chauhan, president of Metro Apartment of Noida Sector 71, along with some unidentified women, has been booked for encroaching on government land. A FIR was filed against him under Section 147 and 353 of IPC in the Noida Phase-III Police Station for encroaching Noida Authority land and obstructing authority officials from discharging their duty.
It all started with some residents allegedly installing a Shiv Linga right on the internal periphery road of the Metro Apartment near Block-A. This was strongly opposed by a section of the residents of the apartment, who approached the Noida Authority with a demand for action against the illegal construction.
Following residents’complaint, a team of the authority tried to remove the illegal construction from the site without success. They faced resistance from the RWA president and some women residents, who physically obstructed them from carrying out their duty. A junior engineer with the authority, RK Singh, lodged a case with the police against them.
Meanwhile, Chauhan washed his hands off the matter. He told City Spidey that he has nothing to do with the case, yet is unnecessarily dragged into the controversy. However, he expressed his inability to remove the Shiv Linga, which he said has been installed by some women residents in the apartment, as it involves religious sentiments.
Pankaj Pant, in charge of Sector 71 Police Post, told City Spidey that even as the investigation in the case is on, both parties (in favour of and against the Shiv Linga) have been summoned for amiable settlement of the issue.
Going by numerous instances of the past, it starts with a small idol being placed on a vacant government land. Gradually devotees start gathering around it and with the passage of time, the place gets converted into a big temple attracting a large number of devotees. By then it will be it would be impossible for the civic authorities to touch the structure, even if they want to, as it becomes a matter of religion and faith for a large number of people.
Ravinder Singh Rana, a resident of Block-A, whose house is located close to the Shiv Linga, said if a temple comes up over the religious symbol, it will be a nuisance for him and his family. They have to bear with the commotion and cacophony near their residents arising from the steady stream of devotees lining up there for darshan throughout the day.
He told City Spidey that the RWA did not take him into confidence before placing the Shiv Linga there. He wanted to apprise the RWA president about the illegal construction, but he did not pick up his phone call. Finding no response from RWA, Rana approached the authority seeking immediate action against those who have encroachment on the government land.
Rana pointed out that according to the lease deal, permission of the authority is mandatory for carrying out any new development work in the apartment. But the RWA did not take any permission before installing the Shiv Linga.
