Razed in 2011,illegal constructions were back to square one within months

On March 12,2011,the district collectorate took up what was termed as the biggest anti-encroachment drive in the state. Twenty-three illegal structures on the hillsides of Katraj,Jambhulwadi and Ambegaon Budruk in Pune district were razed. The structures had come to the notice of the then SDO of Haveli during a routine inspection. Around 1,000 employees of the district collectorate were engaged in the drive.

Ironically,within months of this action,encroachments returned to the area,with structures being either repaired or replaced by new ones. Although the government had formed the an anti-encroachment cell to keep a tab on illegal construction,not much was done to raise the cell’s authority.

A few years ago,the then district collector Chandrakant Dalvi had sent a proposal to the state government for formation of a special anti-encroachment cell for the district. His proposal recommended specialised manpower and machinery to carry out surveys and take action when needed. He had also proposed a separate budget head for this cell. However,the proposal has been gathering dust for the past several years. Without any decision being taken on the separate cell,the district authorities are left with the onus of keeping a tab on illegal constructions.

The dearth of funds has acted as a major deterrent in taking firm action against the violators. Incidentally,the Haveli tehshildar’s office is yet to clear the bills for the machinery it had hired for the 2011 anti-encroachment drive. Grappling with acute manpower shortage,the collectorate is struggling to carry out even the compulsory surveys to gauge illegal constructions.

Apart from Haveli,tehshil offices of Khed,Maval,Mulshi,Shirur also face the same situation.

A senior official of the Haveli sub-divisional office pointed out that of late the spate of such constructions has increased as both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections are round the corner.

“Many a time,the so-called builders take advantage of such situations and start selling off both plots and tenements,knowing well that if authorities take any action,they can use their politically connected ‘friends’ to put pressure on them,” said a senior official of Haveli. Several such cases had been brought to court. But all efforts to penetrate the grip of these unscrupulous people over the area have failed.

According to Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe,the government’s failure to provide affordable housing to people had allowed these “builders” to make hay and loot the people. “The people in general are mostly unaware of the intricacies of the law,and being vulnerable as they are,fall prey to these builders.”

Pointing towards what might possibly be “an organised crime allowing illegal constructions to flourish”,she said that in many cases,it has come to light that for every illegal floor added,a local politician,and sometimes even the police are bribed to by the builder to look the other way.