An ongoing construction near Lake Pichola was forcibly stopped by the Udaipur Municipal Corporation and a notice was given to the owner of the house.

Since most of the civic and administrative officers are busy in the upcoming state assembly elections, many people took the advantage of Election Code of Conduct and started illegal constructions and encroachments in the old city areas, specifically where construction is strictly prohibited.

One such construction was going on near Bridge of Chandpol, just adjacent to Lake Pichola for last few days. The house owner had demolished the old building and is now making a hotel over it.

Initially, the work was going on explicitly, but later, the building was covered with a large green cloth to conceal what was going on behind it.

Many local citizens, social workers and environmentalists had raised voice against the illicit activity but no strict action was taken against the owner. Lately, the news was also published in the local daily.

Himmat Singh Barhath, Commissioner of Municipal Corporation said that, “The work has been immediately stopped by the authority and a notice is also served to the owner of house.” Barhath admitted of having shortage of staff due to election and said that the next action will be taken only after election.

When District Collector Ashutosh Pednekar was approached, he expressed his unfamiliarity about any such activity and said that he will look upon the matter and also take action against it.

A concerned environmentalist, on condition of anonymity said, “Udaipur has become a place of invisible buildings and blind authorities. The major source of Udaipur’s income other than mining is tourism, and tourism happens because Udaipur is sold as being beautiful. Yet that beauty disappears day by day.”

Since administration is proving to be weak in front of wrongdoers, the city is getting engulfed by the darkness of ignorance and ghosts of encroachers are overpowering it.