The Hindu : New Delhi News : Report sought on illegal buildings of leaders

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 20, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Report sought on illegal buildings of leaders

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Delhi Mayor Satbir Singh on Thursday asked Municipal Commissioner A. K. Nigam to prepare a status report on prominent city leaders who have allegedly carried out unauthorised constructions in their properties as reported in the media and against whom the Delhi High Court has also asked the civic body to submit an "Action Taken Report". The report will be presented at the special meeting of the MCD House on January 30.

Presiding over the MCD House meeting, the Mayor asked Mr. Nigam to also include in the list the properties of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, her MP son Sandeep Dikshit and some relatives as well as that of Delhi BJP chief Harsh Vardhan and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Jagdish Mukhi.

"I order the Municipal Commissioner to present a status report on the properties of these leaders on January 30. No leniency should be shown while preparing the report," Mr. Singh said in the House as the Congress and the BJP councillors traded charges on the issue of illegal and unauthorised constructions.

Raising the issue, Leader of the Opposition Subhash Arya demanded that Mr. Nigam present the status report on the properties of Ms. Dikshit and her relatives as directed by the MCD Standing Committee Chairman Mukesh Goel on Wednesday. However, the Mayor said it would take some time to compile the report. This led to pandemonium in the House as the BJP councillors accused the Congress leaders of shielding the Chief Minister.

Accusing Ms. Nigam of failing to perform his duties, Mr. Arya said his party councillor Vijender Gupta had already given names of three properties belonging to Ms. Dikshit and her relatives having illegal constructions, but Mr. Nigam was yet to survey the properties. "Moreover, I had written to the Mayor for a status report on the properties of the seven prominent politicians after the Court asked for the same, but the report is still awaited. This shows how serious the civic body is about doing its job." He also asked Mr. Nigam to prepare a comprehensive report on all properties under its jurisdiction in the city so that the level and nature of unauthorised and illegal constructions could be determined.

Participating in the discussion, BJP councillor Arti Mehra asked the Mayor to order a survey of the Niti Bagh area in South Delhi where judges and lawyers reside.

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