MCDs lack of transparency making citizens' life sheer hell: HC

The lack of transparency in the functioning of municipal corporations in the national capital is making the life of citizens "sheer hell", the Delhi High Court today said and advised the civic bodies to put online information on illegal constructions in the city.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra said unauthorised buildings were being built and businesses were being illegally run from residential areas with "active connivance" of corporation officials.
"How are buildings coming up? Your manner of functioning is writ large. Your officials are only interested in saving their backs. The sheer lack of transparency of the municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDs) is making life of the citizens sheer hell," the court said.

The observations of the bench came when a petition was mentioned before it against a demolition notice issued to a south Delhi based gym by the municipal corporation there.
The lawyer for the petitioner claimed there were several gyms running in the area, Kailash Colony, but his client's business was singled out for action by the corporation.
The court asked the lawyer for one of the corporations why the petitioner's business was singled out and allowed the plea to be listed for hearing next week before an appropriate bench.

It said that 90 per cent of the litigation work in the high court "is because of the non-action of the MCDs".

"There are 10-12 writ petitions everyday on MCDs' non- action," it added.
The court told the corporations that it was still not too late to bring in transparency in their functioning and asked them to put everything online.