SC summons deputy commissioners of South, West civic bodies in sealing issue

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought presence of Deputy Commissioners of Delhi's South, West and Central zones for not complying with its order to seal unauthorised constructions.

A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta also summoned chairman of Special Task Force (STF), constituted to monitor issues relating to unauthorised constructions in Delhi, to appear before it on July 18.

The monitoring committee - mandated to identify and seal unauthorised structures in the national capital - alleged non cooperation by the civic agencies and files report before the bench.

The bench while perusing the report, took into note a media report submitted by the committee, as per which Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had rapped the officials for carrying out the drive without using "common sense".

"You (government) have no intention to work, which even the monitoring committee has informed. Your minister said that the monitoring committee had no common sense in sealing the properties. Monitoring committee was constituted by us, that means the court has no sense as per you," said the bench.

"We do not have common sense. We do not know how to work. Please ask him where should we get common sense. Is it available in the market? Ask him so that we can get some common sense also," Justice Lokur told Additional Solicitor General A.N.S. Nadkarni, who was appearing for the Centre.

"We are being told that we lack common sense. If something is there in the newspapers, you say it is false. That is why we do not have common sense.

"See how your department is making hurdles in the working of the committee," said the anguished bench.

The report said that pubs and dancing clubs are working in illegal properties and the SDMC has not taken any action, added the bench.

The court was earlier told that the municipal bodies was refusing to carry out the directions of the committee on the grounds that the amendments to the Master Plan-2021 were yet to be finalised.

--IANS

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