Officials to face action for encroachment, violation of sealing rules in city: Centre

Officials of civic bodies and the DDA will face action, including registration of FIRs, if there is an illegal construction in their respective jurisdiction in Delhi, according to an action plan prepared by the Centre.

Expressing anguish over sealing drives conducted by municipal corporations in some areas of the city in the last three days, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said action will be taken against officials who carried out these drives in the national capital in violation of rules.

There is clear direction from the Supreme Court that if they (officials) are going to seal any commercial establishment, they have to give some time to affected parties to produce necessary documents.

 

"It has to be anchored in the rule of law and it must be subject to doctrine of common sense," Puri told reporters here.

The minister said, "They are not following this, my instruction is very clear that show cause notices should be issued to concerned officials as to why they should not be suspended."

If they would have followed the rule of law, such situation would not emerge, he said.

In Delhi, MCDs have been carrying out sealing drives since December last year.

The government will also launch a mobile application and website next week through which people can complain against unauthorised construction activities in their vicinity.

Puri said the ecosystem that has allowed a culture of impunity to thrive is being dismantled.

He said that henceforth, there will be no tolerance towards encroachments and illegal constructions in the national capital.

Puri said that Special Task Force (STF), constituted to clear encroachments in Delhi, has formed a grid of officers which will be held responsible if there is any unauthorised construction in their jurisdiction.

"In case, any illegal construction takes place, it will be presumed that such action has been taken in the connivance of these officers and action will be taken against them," the minister told reporters here.

Puri, flanked by UD Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra and commissioners of three municipal corporations and chairman of the NDMC, said that the official concerned will be given show cause notice and action will be taken if found guilty, including his or her suspension.

The 15-member STF, chaired by the DDA vice-chairman, is mandated to identify encroachments and clear them on public land in the city.

Talking to reporters here, Puri said one can also file complaint against the illegal construction taken place in the past to the STF which will give directions to the statutory authorities for taking corrective measures including fixing of responsibility.

The UD secretary said the STF has constituted a three-member committee which will investigate each complaint with regard to unauthorised construction.

About the sealing drives against commercial activities, Puri said that the government has submitted proposed amendments in the Master Plan for Delhi (MPD) 2021 to the Supreme Court.