HC irked over wastage of taxpayer money to remove encroachers from govt land

Displeased with "wastage" of nearly Rs 83 crore of "taxpayers money" to remove squatters from government flats at Sanjay Basti here, the Delhi High Court Wednesday directed the Centre to initiate prosecution against the CPWD officers who allowed the encroachment to go on since 1977.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar pulled up the Urban Development Ministry and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for not being able to protect government land from encroachers.

"You could not protect your own land and now you are paying nearly Rs 83 crore to remove encroachers. It is not a small amount. This is how taxpayers money is being used? Your officers closed their eyes to the encroachment. Why should the amount be not deducted from their salary," the court said, adding that "prima facie connivance of CPWD officers was indicated".

It ordered that departmental enquiry be initiated against the erring CPWD officials.

The court was hearing a plea which has claimed that the encroached flats at Sanjay Basti in north east Delhi were initially constructed for class 4 government employees, but in 1977 they were to be demolished as they were in a dilapidated state.

However, the contractor who was given the work of demolishing it, set up shop there and allowed squatters to reside in the flats which were also rebuilt.