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High time to break the builder, official nexus in civic body

Staff Reporter

Not a single FIR lodged against any builder for illegal buildings

NEW DELHI: The virtual refusal of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to put information relating to the 18,000-odd illegal structures in the Capital on the website has raised many eyebrows here. The very fact that all civic agencies have reported the presence of 40 to 80 per cent illegal constructions in their areas is reason enough for initiating action against the officials and the builder mafia.

Interestingly, despite a big hue and cry being raised over the thousands of illegal structures that have come up in Delhi, no attempt has been taken to break this official-contractor-politician nexus. Even more surprising, not a single First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against any of the builders who constructed these illegal properties and sold them to unsuspecting citizens.

MCD officials as well as the Congress leaders in the civic body appear to be busy defending these junior engineers and assistant engineers who have thrived on illegal graft.

Highly placed sources in the civic body informed that the Vigilance Department is scrutinising the service record of a number of officials in various categories. However, what is disturbing is that after the suspension of one of the junior engineers of Rohini zone for turning a blind eye to the reconstruction activity of demolished buildings in his area, engineers and related officials had threatened to go on strike against such action. "The field staff maintains that they have lodged complaints with the police but no action was being taken. But it is for the MCD Commissioner and other senior officials to coordinate with the police and ensure that strict action is taken, but no such thing is happening," sources added. Even MCD Commissioner Ashok Kumar Nigam seems hesitant to take a firm stand. "Mr. Nigam should put his foot down and post everything on the website including the list of corrupt officials. The Commissioner should not wait for the court to issue directions to put all material on the official website and instead take the initiative on his own before submitting an action taken report to the court on January 18," a senior official remarked.

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