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Illegal Construction
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has directed civic authorities to inspect paying guest accommodations across the city and examine building records to identify when illegal constructions came up and fix responsibility of the agencies and officials concerned, CMO officials said on Wednesday. CM Gupta has directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to launch a crackdown on illegal constructions, including carrying out demolition action, and ensure that all senior civic officials remain on the ground during the enforcement drive. The chief minister has also ordered an intensive inspection of all PG accommodations in Delhi, with particular focus on illegal constructions, the officials added. Authorities have also been asked to examine building records to ascertain the year in which unauthorised constructions came up and under whose jurisdiction and responsibility they occurred. Action against illegal constructions was carried out in several parts of the city on Wednesday as part
Observing that the authorities have indulged in "persistent negligence", the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Uttarakhand government to file a comprehensive report, including the site plan, disclosing approximate details of illegal constructions which have come up on the forest land in the state. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on December 22 expressed serious concern over the alleged large-scale and systematic grabbing of forest land in Uttarakhand and proposed to expand the scope of proceedings suo motu to examine, what it termed, a shocking failure of the state machinery to protect the forest land. The bench said the state authorities, apparently in collusion with land-grabbers, first allowed the encroachment of government land and then, in the garb of court orders, wanted to come clean. The CJI said that the state authorities have been persistently and consistently negligent in the case and "it appears to be a case of collusion and connivance wit
The Mhow Cantonment Board in Madhya Pradesh has issued a notice to the occupants and legal heirs of a residential property, belonging to Al Falah Group chairman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui's family, in which it directed that unauthorised constructions there be razed within three days, an official said. Faridabad-based Al Falah University, run by the Al Falah Group, is emerging as an epicentre of investigation in the November 10 Delhi blast case that killed 15 persons and injured several others. Cantonment Engineer H S Kaloya said, "We have issued a notice to the house of the late Moulana Hammad, who is the father of Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui. As per the notice, the department had previously issued multiple communications dating back to 1996 and 1997 under relevant sections of the Cantonments Act, 1924, directing the removal of the unauthorised construction." "However, despite repeated notifications, the construction in question was reportedly not removed. The latest notice instructs the current
The Supreme Court has said courts must adopt a "strict approach" when dealing with cases of unauthorised construction and not engage in judicial regularisation of such structures. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said the law ought not to come to the rescue of those flouting its rigours for allowing it might result in "flourishing the culture of impunity". "Thus, the courts must adopt a strict approach while dealing with cases of illegal construction and should not readily engage themselves in judicial regularisation of buildings erected without requisite permissions of the competent authority," it said. The need to maintain a firm stance emanated from the court's "inviolable duty" to uphold the rule of the law and gained "more force" to facilitate the well being of all concerned, the top court said. The bench, as a result, dismissed a plea challenging an order of the Calcutta High Court, which dealt with a petition highlighting unauthorised constructions. The hig
In a significant judgment, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said unauthorised constructions cannot be legitimised merely due to administrative delays, passage of time, or monetary investments and issued a slew of directions to curb illegal constructions. A bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said even the post-construction violations must trigger swift corrective action, including demolition of the illegal part and penalties for erring officials. The bench also upheld the demolition of unauthorised commercial constructions in a residential plot in Meerut, emphasising the need for strict adherence to urban planning laws and accountability of officials. The court issued a slew of comprehensive directions in larger public interest to streamline urban development and enforcement. "We are of the opinion that construction(s) put up in violation of or deviation from the building plan approved by the local authority and the constructions which are audaciously put up without
The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and others on a plea against unauthorised constructions and encroachments on the riverbeds, floodplains and catchments of all rivers. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued notices to the Environment Ministry, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Central Water Commission and the Central Pollution Control Board while seeking their replies within three weeks. Advocate Akash Vashishtha, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that increasing illegal and unauthorised constructions and encroachments on the floodplains and catchments of rivers and water courses have become the biggest cause of devastation across the country. The top court was hearing a plea filed by former IPS officer Dr Ashok Kumar Raghav seeking directions to demolish all unauthorised constructions and encroachments on the riverbeds, floodplains and catchments of all rivers, water courses and ..
BSP president Mayawati on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court's observation on the demolition of houses of those involved in criminal cases and said that the families of criminals should not be punished for their deeds. With several state administrations bulldozing the houses of those involved in criminal cases, the Supreme Court on Monday asked how anybody's house can be demolished just because he is an accused. The court said it would lay down the guidelines on the issue that would be enforceable across the country. "Action against criminal elements in the country should be taken under the law and their families and close ones should not be punished for their crimes. Our party's government in the state had shown this by establishing the rule of law through law," Mayawati said in a series of posts on X in Hindi. "Bulldozers should also be used now as per the decision of the Supreme Court. However, it would be better if there was no need to use them because criminal elements could a
A DDA survey has found that two-thirds land of the Yamuna floodplain has been encroached upon in recent years, officials said on Friday. Delhi High Court on March 27 directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to use the latest technology such as satellite imagery and drone photography to ascertain the current status of the land in Zone O. In its survey, the DDA recorded that 7,362.56 hectares of a total 9,700.00 hectares in Zone O, comprising the Yamuna floodplain, had been encroached upon, a senior official said. On July 8, the high court directed the DDA vice-chairman to remove all encroachments and illegal constructions on the Yamuna riverbank, riverbed and drains flowing into the river. According to the high court order, the DDA has to coordinate with all agencies concerned to ensure the removal of encroachments from the floodplain. The Delhi Police may provide necessary force to maintain law and order during anti-encroachment drives. The court also asked the DDA to fence
A self-styled godman has allegedly built an unauthorised temple in the Suderdhunga river valley close to a sacred lake originating from a glacier in Uttarakhand's Bageshwar district, angering locals who have accused him of desecrating the lake by bathing in it. According to officials, Baba Chaitanya Akash alias Aditya Kailash managed to convince some locals to help him construct the temple in the eco-sensitive zone by telling them that he had received divine orders in a dream to build it. The matter was referred to the police for an investigation after an application was received from the locals in this regard, Bageshwar District Magistrate Anuradha Pal told PTI on the phone on Tuesday. The road to the spot where the temple has been built passes through difficult terrain and remains closed during monsoon, she said. "The structure made of wood and stone is a small temple. It is illegal and built on no man's land," Superintendent of Police (SP) Akshay Prahlad Konde said. It seems th
As many as 15 cases pertaining to illegal hoardings have been registered in Maharashtra's Latur city, including 11 on a single day, civic officials said. The Latur Municipal Corporation authorities removed two hoardings and 15 banners from the city on Monday, they said. The action was taken against the backdrop of the collapse of an illegal hoarding in Mumbai on May 13, which claimed 16 lives and injured several others. The Latur civic body had given a deadline till Sunday for the removal of illegal hoardings from the city, an official release said on Monday. After the deadline ended, 11 cases related to illegal hoardings were registered on Monday, it said. Since last week (after the hoarding crash incident in Mumbai), a total of 15 cases have been registered, the civic body said. Deputy municipal commissioner Dr Punjab Khansole recently held a meeting with the officials concerned and instructed them to accelerate the process and file cases against violators. The corporation had
The BJP has slammed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his comments on the demolition of some houses allegedly built illegally and belonging to Kannadigas in Goa and said he should first work to solve problems in his own state. Bharatiya Janata Party's Goa spokesperson Giriraj Pai Vernekar told PTI on Sunday that the demolition drive was carried out following a directive of the Supreme Court. A total of 22 houses built illegally on land owned by the local communidade (community institution) at Sangolda village in North Goa district were demolished by the authorities on Friday and Saturday. Siddaramaiah in a post on X on Sunday said, "Deeply concerned by the demolition of homes belonging to Kannadigas in Sangolda, Goa. I appeal to the Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Dr Pramod Sawant, to cease further demolitions immediately until alternatives are provided, and ensure all displaced individuals receive adequate rehabilitation." He shared the media reports and pictures of the ...
Rajasthan Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar on Sunday issued a stern warning to "corrupt" government servants, saying illegal properties of "accused staffers" would be razed by bulldozers. Dilawar said government servants accused of amassing illegal properties would be suspended and dismissed. "The illegal properties of those guilty of such crimes would also be demolished by bulldozer," he said while speaking to media after an official meeting here on Sunday. The minister said the officials present in the meeting have been directed to identify government employees against whom cases of corruption and misconduct have been lodged but have escaped action so far due to absence of adequate evidence. He said he would not care "if he is hanged for violation of rules" in getting illegal properties demolished. While speaking at an event in his assembly area Ramganj Mandi on Saturday, the minister had issued a similar warning on illegally accumulated properties by governmen
An offence has been registered against seven developers for carrying out construction works without seeking permission from the civic authorities in Navi Mumbai, police said on Sunday. Based on a complaint lodged by an official of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), the police on Saturday registered a case under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, an official said. The developers had allegedly been carrying out construction activities at seven locations in Turbhe since August without the NMMC's permission, he said. No arrest has been made in the case and further probe is underway, the official said.