Occupiers of govt houses in Punjab asked to maintain green

Government employees including officers, who occupy government accommodation in Punjab have been directed to properly maintain green areas, failing which punitive action will be taken against them.
Exhaustive directions have been issued to all the officials or officers enjoying government accommodation to properly maintain gardens and green area adjoining their houses failing which they will be liable for punitive action by their respective Heads of the Departments (HODs), an official spokesman said here.
A place where the garden attached to government residential buildings has been laid out, and hedges, trees, shrubs and vegetation of a lasting character have been planted, the government like any other landlord was entitled to see that these amenities were properly maintained, he said.

Tenants of government residences would be required for the proper up-keep of the grounds as a condition of their tenancy. In the case of default, the Head of the Department was empowered to call upon the occupant for proper upkeep and, if necessary, was authorised to charge expenditure in this connection from the tenant as an addition to the rent.
The spokesman said all trees whether planted by tenant or not, in the compound of government residence, are the property of the government.
No standing trees should be felled or fallen trees be appropriated by the tenant for any use whatever, without the sanction of the competent authority.

Divulging more information, the spokesperson said the share of responsibilities between in-going and out-going incumbents for any expenditure incurred in compliance with the above orders would be determined according to the circumstances and the Head of the Department being arbiter in the case of a dispute, he said.
The spokesperson further said the tenant of a government residential building is entitled to the value of the fruit, flowers, and vegetables, crops sown or raised by him and which may be disposed of by him during the actual period of his tenancy.
He said a tenant will not be entitled to hire out or lease any portion of his compound for the growing crops, though there was no objection to his employing outside agency to cultivate the area and realising the value of produce so raised during his tenancy.