Nod for 2 anti-encroachment teams

After the district administration were left fumbling for want of staff for conducting anti-encroachment drives in the district,a decision by the state government to appoint specialised staff for it has been welcomed by the district administration.

After the district administration were left fumbling for want of staff for conducting anti-encroachment drives in the district,a decision by the state government to appoint specialised staff for it has been welcomed by the district administration. Divisional Commissioner Dilip Band said that the state government had cleared the long-pending proposal to have special staff to conduct these drives. We are yet to receive actual orders but the proposal has been cleared,” Band told The Indian Express. The letter to the Revenue and Forest Department stated that a separate tehsildar,naib tehsildars,clerks and staff should be assigned to pull down structures and funds must be cleared to get the required machinery and speed up such drives.

The recent drives by the district administration had seen the issue of paucity of staff and machinery for conducting such drives. District collector Vikas Deshmukh said that two teams for this specialised drive seems to have been cleared although a formal notification is awaited.

The district administration had conducted the anti-encroachment drive at Katraj hill slopes against 22 unoccupied structures on May 12 and the administration issued notices to the owners to pull down the remaining structures themselves so that they dont pose any threat to other standing structures in monsoon.

The demand of having a special team to conduct these raids had been put forward last year. The rural areas which have seen rampant unauthorised construction come under the jurisdiction of the district collector. It is a long pending demand and if the government sanctions necessary staff,then we will be able to carry out such drives more frequently, said a district administration officer who has conducted the drive.

The district administration is hopeful of the government clearing the Rs 5.22 lakh expenses the administration incurred on carrying out the anti-encroachment drive in Katraj-Amebegaon area. District officials maintain it is essential to have a separate task force for such drives and the government should clear the amount fast. The drive on May 12 in Katraj-Ambegaon area employed 225 labourers to pull down 22 structures. The drive in the district is to be carried out in other areas like Undri,Wagholi,Kothrud,Khadakwasla,Khed-Shivapur,Bhosari,Chinchwad,Rahatni and Moshi.

NGOs get ready to file PIL

After hearing complaints of illegal construction and encroachments in the public commission of inquiry formed by the Nagrik Chetna Manch and the Surajya Sangharsh Samiti, the NGOs are set to compile matters submitted to them and file a PIL in the HC over failure of the administration to keep a check on illegal constructions in the city.

The commission is headed by retired Justice P B Sawant. It heard 22 cases on the basis of documentary evidence and urged the civic administration to take necessary action. The matters mostly related to alleged unauthorised and illegal constructions on public areas and on natural water courses,use of excess FSI,construction in green zones. “The commission is expected to complete hearing by December end. We will then compile cases along with the PMC action on it for filing a PIL,” said Major General (Retd) S C N Jathar of the Nagrik Chetna Manch.

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Loading Taboola...