Illegal constructions in S Delhi: HC seeks SDMC response

The Delhi High Court today sought response from South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on a plea seeking a direction to demolish illegal and unauthorised constructions in South Delhi area here.
A bench of Justices B D Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul issued notice to SDMC and Delhi Police Commissioner and directed them to submit a status report on next date of hearing.
The matter was posted for further hearing on October 15.
"Issue notice to respondents," the bench said.
The court was hearing a plea filed by NGO Nyaya Manch seeking a direction to SDMC to "take immediate action and to stop the ongoing unauthorised and illegal construction of the buildings in certain areas of South Delhi".

The plea, filed through senior advocate Anukul Chandra Pradhan and advocate Atulesh Kumar, has claimed that the NGO has made several complaints to SDMC, Central Vigilance Commission regarding the corruption and the illegal and unauthorised constructions by the building mafias. However, nothing has been done by the authorities concerned, it said.
"Direct SDMC to demolish illegal and unauthorised constructions in South Delhi Areas namely SDMC Ward No 161 Panchsheel Vihar, Begampur, Hauz Rani and Savitri Nagar, Ward No 173 Neb Sarai, Paryavaran Complex, Saidulajab, Maidan Garhi and Freedom Fighter Colony and Ward No 174 Chhatarpur and Rajpur," the plea said.

The NGO has also contended that the "builder mafias" are cutting trees for constructing buildings and thereby causing harm to the enviornment.