Authorities sit over Lokayukta’s order to raze illegal structures

Sat Singh

Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, April 27

With the notice period of order by the state Lokayukta to raze 22 illegal structures raised by private builders by colluding with officials of the Urban Local Bodies in Bhiwani town ending in a few days, the district administration is yet to wake up to the matter.

Pronouncing the order, Haryana Lokayukta Justice Pritam Pal Singh, in February 2015, had said: “After going through the detailed report dated December 8, 2014, and other documents, it is categorically clear that officials of the Director General, Urban Local Bodies Department, Haryana, at Bhiwani and that of the Bhiwani Municipal Council, in connivance with the unscrupulous persons, had allowed the illegal construction to be raised for the extraneous considerations.”

Vikas Gupta, the then Director of the State Urban Local Bodies, had conducted a probe on Lokayukta’s orders.

Lokayukta had ordered the district administration to demolish the illegal structures that were created in violation of the municipal bylaws in the Bhiwani Municipal Council limit in three months.

The notice period will end on May 4.

Murari Lal Gupta, a local RTI activist, had sought information about the unauthorised structures in the town and had filed a complaint with the state Lokayukta.

The complainant had said builders had approved residential buildings plans but were using the site for commercial use.

Sources said the action against such colonisers was intentionally being delayed as authorities were hand in glove with them.

Admitting the delay in honouring the Lokayukta order, Nagar Parishad (NP) Executive Officer Hardeep Singh said they were busy surveying the buildings and would soon serve them a notice. On demolition, he said since the NP lacks technical staff and machinery to do the job, the process might take some more time.