Ludhiana, Feb. 24 -- A day after the Ludhiana district administration began with its eight-day Punjab Sakhi Shakti Mela in Khanna, the defence estate officer (Jalandhar circle) on Monday directed the deputy commissioner and the Khanna sub-divisional magistrate to stop the event while terming it "unauthorised use" of the defence land. The officer has also instructed the local military authority in Ludhiana to halt the event immediately and submit an action-taken report, bringing an embarassment to the administration. In a communication to the civil and military authorities, the defence estate officer mentioned that permission for temporary use of the land was still pending with higher authorities and that any activity without formal approval would be unauthorised and could result in loss of revenue to the exchequer. The mela began is scheduled to end on March 1. The issue surfaced after local activist Paramjit Singh Ahluwalia, alias Param Walia, wrote to Union minister of defence Rajnath Singh, the defence estate office, the Punjab governor and other authorities. The letter mentioned that the district administration had applied for temporary use of the defence land from February 22 for organising the Sakhi Shakti Mela. The proposal was forwarded on February 10 to the principal director, defence estates, and further sent to the director general, defence estates, on February 16. However, no approval has come till date. When contacted, additional deputy commissioner (rural development) Amarjit Bains said the administration had applied for permission and that the file might be stuck in the multi-level clearance process. "We will take up the matter with the defence authorities," he said, adding that the mela was being organised to promote and strengthen self-help groups. Meanwhile, complainant Param Walia alleged that local civil authorities were pressuring him to withdraw his complaint. He also claimed that entry and parking fees were being charged from visitors and that full-fledged commercial activities were being carried out at the venue....