DDA likely to form STF against encroachment by this week
Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is likely to finalise the special task force against encroachment in Delhi from this week as directed by the Supreme Court. This will be an interdepartmental body where the officials of the Delhi government, MCDS, police, fire department officials will be present.
“The work of forming the task force has already started. It is a kind of interdepartmental force where all the stakeholders of the Delhi will be present. Our main job will be to coordinate with all the agencies to identify illegal structures in Delhi,” said an official.
The team will follow the recommendations of the Master Plan of Delhi regarding the encroachments. Recently, the authorities amended the master plan to stop the sealing drive. However, the Supreme Court has rejected the amendments. “We will notify all the stakeholders by this week so that the work starts smoothly. In this work, we will need the help of police and the fire department,” said the official.
In response to the matter, the MCD officials said, “We will follow the order of the Supreme Court. The ViceChairman of the DDA will head the force; we are ready to follow any order.” The officials also said that all the stakeholders should deliver professional work and not make a political fight over it as the Supreme Court has already asked not to make it a political issue.
Any building that is hazardous must be demolished even if it was built legally, the Supreme Court told a multi-agency task force drawn up on Monday to deal with unauthorised construction and encroachment in the national capital. “When you take a decision, you must consider aspects such as fire safety, health of citizens and lives of children. A building may be legal but if it is a fire hazard or a stress on groundwater, then it has to be demolished,” a bench of justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta said, setting out the tasks for the committee.
The Vice-chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will be the STF Chairman. The force will comprise commissioners of the three MCDS, Chairperson of New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), CEO, Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Secretaries of Delhi's Transport and urban developments. The Secretary, Revenue, Delhi government, will be a member. The Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Special Commissioner of Traffic Police, Chief Fire Officer and Commissioner (Planning) DDA are also part of the task force.