Whom should we warn to put your house in order, HC asks MCD

The Delhi High Court today wondered whom in the municipal corporations should it warn to put their "house in order" in connection with the rising numbers of illegal construction in the national capital.
"We do not know whom to warn to get your house in order. For 30 years, since 1986, this is what your client (MCDs) is saying. Even the words have not changed," a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra told the lawyer appearing for North Delhi Municipal Corporation.
The strong remarks from the bench came after it was told by an NGO that there were hundreds of illegal constructions in the Karol Bagh area of central Delhi, while the lawyer for the corporation said action was being taken against such buildings by booking them and passing demolition orders.

The bench, however, questioned how these buildings came up in the first place and how did the corporation grant occupancy certificate to these unauthorised constructions.
The court also asked the corporation in how many cases had it inspected the property or premises and then issued completion certificates.
The bench was hearing a PIL by an NGO, Paardarshita, seeking a CBI probe into the matter and lodging of FIRs against the officials of the corporation, police and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) who allegedly allowed such unauthorised constructions to come up.
The petition has also sought directions to the authorities to put a stop to all future unauthorised constructions in the area and completely demolish the existing ones.

The court did not pass any order in the matter and listed it for hearing on May 11.