Ensure security to civic officials during demolition: High Court

Observing that there is a lack of co-ordiantion between the Mumbai Police and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to conduct a meeting between officials of the civic body and police force.

The observation was made by a division bench presided over by Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Anil Menon while hearing a petition filed by Janhit Manch, which sought directions to BMC for evicting hutments in Ghatkopar area.

The petitioners had contended that these hutments encroached the pipeline that supplies water to the city.

The bench was informed that the police have failed to provide protection to civic officials for demolition drives, on some occasions.

It may be noted that as per the directions of the HC, the police has to assist civic officials during demolition of illegal encroachments in the city.

Irked by the submissions, Justice Oka said, “These issues cannot be let gone. We think these issues must be put to an end now. In our view, prima facie there is a complete lack of coordination between the police and civic officials.”

“We direct the ACS Home to immediately convene a meeting of officials from the Mumbai police as well as the BMC and work out a scheme in which proper coordination is established and protection is provided to the civic officials,” Justice Oka said,

In an earlier hearing, the bench was informed by the BMC that the Tilak Nagar police did not provide assistance to civic officials on April 15 at the behest of housing minister Prakash Mehta.

The matter would be next heard on June 22.

The court had earlier directed the civic body to

demolish all such encroachments on the city's pipelines.