The Bathinda civil administration on Thursday demolished some allegedly unauthorised buildings and large sheds along the Ring Road near ITI Chowk in a drive conducted in the presence of police personnel. However, the drive left several questions unanswered, as some buildings in the same area were spared.The action was taken against some commercial establishments located near the Army area. The administration maintained that the land falls in the agricultural zone and cannot be used for residential or commercial purposes without obtaining Change of Land Use (CLU) permission.Mohit Soni, Assistant Town Planner (ATP), Bathinda, said show-cause notices had been issued to the concerned property owners, but no replies had been received. “After the notices went unanswered, permission was sought from senior officials before carrying out the demolition drive,” he said.The ATP further said he had joined the department here in August this year. “We have carried out the demolition drive after getting permission from senior officials. Once we get permission to take action against more buildings, we will carry out another demolition drive,” he said. He also clarified that the Army had not written to the department seeking clearance of the land.Meanwhile, the affected property owners questioned the administration’s action, saying the land had belonged to their families for generations. They claimed to possess registered ownership documents and maintained that the government should provide compensation if the Army or any other authority intended to acquire the land.One of the landowners also referred to an alleged 2005 notification, claiming that it had not yet been implemented. He said many landowners like him were willing to pay any applicable fee, if required by the authorities, rather than face the demolition of their structures.