Urban News

Following the building collapse at Lalita Park, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) demolished illegal floors in nine structures across South Delhi on Thursday. During the drive launched by the building department of the Central Zone, action was taken against properties located in New Friends Colony, Govindpuri, Sangam Vihar, Sarita Vihar, Okhla Industrial Area, Bhogal and Lajpat Nagar.

According to the MCD, illegal floors as well as extensions were razed in most structures. “The demolition operations are being carried out by four teams, constituted exclusively for this drive with the help of the police,” said a senior MCD official. Third floors of four buildings were razed as they were constructed without the required permission. In some cases, entire structures had to be razed as they were found to be illegal in their entirety.

It may be noted that the building, which had collapsed in Laxmi Nagar last Monday at the cost of 70 lives, had two illegal floors. Following this, the MCD had faced criticism from various quarters — including the Delhi government — for failing to check the rise in unauthorised buildings across the city.

MCD officials said that as part of the ongoing survey, the height of buildings in approved, unauthorised as well as authorised regularised residential colonies will be checked. The Master Plan for Delhi (MPD) has stipulated that buildings can’t be taller than 15 metres in some areas, officials said, adding that structures built in violation of this norm may face action.

It may be noted that the building, which had collapsed in Laxmi Nagar last Monday at the cost of 70 lives, had two illegal floors. Following this, the MCD had faced criticism from various quarters — including the Delhi government — for failing to check the rise in unauthorised buildings across the city.

MCD officials said that as part of the ongoing survey, the height of buildings in approved, unauthorised as well as authorised regularised residential colonies will be checked. The Master Plan for Delhi (MPD) has stipulated that buildings can’t be taller than 15 metres in some areas, officials said, adding that structures built in violation of this norm may face action.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched a crackdown against illegal eateries operating in its jurisdiction. The health department has been directed to serve notice to the encroachment department for giving licences to handcarts and stalls that sell food items without licence.

The PMC gives permission to eateries under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act and Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (BPMC) Act. The administration has issued licences to 8,193 eateries under the PFA Act and 3,495 under the BPMC Act. “There has been a steep rise in the number of eateries operating without the permission of the PMC.

A survey has revealed that 7,985 eateries out of 15,842 operate without licence. The selling of food in open at these handcarts and stalls is a big concern,” said civic health chief R R Pardeshi.

The anti-encrochment department has given licence to 1,372 eateries, including 895 handcarts and 477 stalls, in the city, he said. “The civic chief has directed the health department to serve notice to anti-encroachment department for issuing licence to those selling food items in open,” said Pardeshi.

The civic health chief brought to the notice of municipal commissioner that the action taken jointly by the health department and anti-encroachment department was turning out to be ineffective as the handcarts and stalls again start their business after giving fine.

Under the PFA Act, handcarts cannot sell food items. “If the action initiated has to be made effective then the licences issued by the anti-encroachment department should be checked and accordingly cancelled which will make the business on handcarts illegal and action can be taken against them,” said Pardeshi. 

However, the anti-encroachment department has shrugged off the blame of being responsible for giving permission to those selling food items in open. “The anti-encroachment department has not issued any licence since 1989. It was wrong to put the blame on the department as it is the responsibility of health department to check on illegal selling of food items,” said Ramesh Shelar, head of anti-encroachment department.

“We will respond to the notice as it is not the duty of our department to keep a check on illegal sale of food items. The health department should reveal the number of cases it has filed against those selling food items in open instead of blaming the anti-encroachment department for it,” Shelar said.

The health department has never communicated to the anti-encroachment department on the issue, he said, adding that they will stop renewing the licenc if the health department brings that to their notice.