Do not politicise sealing issue: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and other authorities to consider aspects like health of citizens and fire safety, before deciding on what to do about unauthorised constructions in the city.

The court added that authorities would not get a “second chance” unless they wanted to “shift the Capital like Muhammad bin Tughlaq”.

Tughlaq was the Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351 and had passed an order in 1327 to shift the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad in the Deccan region of south India. He shifted his capital back to Delhi a few years later.

The court asked the Centre, the Delhi government and agencies such as the Delhi Development Authority and the municipal corporations not to make the issue of sealing “political” and directed them to consider all aspects in a “holistic manner”.

Fire safety, disaster management, and massive depletion of ground water are some aspects that need to be examined, said the court.

“When you [authorities] take a decision, you consider all these points and the issues raised by [amicus curiae] Ranjit Kumar. You are not going to get a second chance,” a Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

‘Profit not important’

“Profit motive is not at all important. Health is more important... Life of future generation is very, very important,” said the Bench.

The apex court made the remarks after Additional Solicitor General A. N. S. Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, said they have proposed to set up a special task force to monitor all issues related to unauthorised constructions.