District officials stopped unauthorized work near Sheikhupura gurdwara, sealed the site and initiated legal action.
A gurdwara in Punjab. PHOTO: Evacuee Trust Property Board website
The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) on Friday rejected reports circulating on social media about the alleged demolition of Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Sheikhupura, clarifying that the historic gurdwara remains intact and has not suffered any damage.
In a clarification, the board said the demolition activity was limited to two shops adjacent to the dormant Gurdwara Singh Sabha, where tenants had started pulling down the structures without obtaining prior approval from the ETPB.
According to the board, district officials intervened immediately after receiving information about the unauthorized work on June 24, stopping the demolition, sealing the site and initiating legal proceedings against those responsible.
The ETPB stated that the original historic gurdwara remained fully protected and was not affected in any way. He added that although the Sheikhupura Municipal Committee had declared the shops structurally unsafe, any repair, alteration or demolition of properties under the board’s control requires prior approval, which had not been obtained by the tenants.
The board said the tenants had been issued show cause notices, their lease had been canceled and possession of the property had been recovered.
The statement further said that a delegation from the Sikh community, led by Sardar Palwinder Singh, visited the site on June 26 and expressed satisfaction over the board’s prompt action. Punjab Minority Affairs Minister Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora also visited the site with district administration officials on June 30.
The ETPB reiterated its commitment to preserving religious heritage and said strict legal action would continue against any unauthorized demolition, alteration or invasion of properties in its custody.
