Jt supervisory panel asks civic officials to act against illegal structures

Nagpur: The joint supervisory committee on Friday informed the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court that it had asked all civic officials to act against illegal structures across the city, as per the HC directives.
A division bench comprising justices Nitin Jamdar and Anil Pansare then adjourned the hearing till after vacations, with directives to the respondents and the committee to submit progress report by next date. The bench also agreed to the committee's demand to add a police commissioner as respondent in the case to provide protection during demolition of illegal constructions.
The committee was formed as per the HC directives on April 1 and comprises officials from NMC, NIT and NMRDA. Its purpose is to curb the menace of increasing unauthorised constructions in the city. It is headed by NMC additional municipal commissioner, with NIT general manager, NMRDA additional commissioner and deputy collector (Nazul) as members.
Earlier, the HC appointed Apurv De as amicus curiae after registering the case earlier filed by Ajay Tiwari as a suo motu PIL. The original petition prayed for withdrawing the case after he too received a notice from the civic authorities for staying in an illegal structure.
Tiwari had filed the case contending that the respondents, including NMC, NIT and NMRDA, granted approval for construction of houses but failed to act against them for carrying out illegal constructions and non-sanctioned alterations like misusing basement space reserved for parking for another purpose.
NMC counsel Sudhir Puranik earlier filed an affidavit stating that the joint panel had conducted its first meeting on April 25 where it was decided to appoint NIT general manager Nishikant Suke as its chairman and NMC additional commissioner Ram Joshi would be its secretary. Puranik was appointed as the panel’s counsel and it was decided that all the meetings would be held at NMC’s conference hall.
The panel had directed all assistant commissioners (NMC), assistant director (Town Planning) of NMC, NIT and NMRDA, divisional officer (NIT), executive engineers (NMRDA), officers-in-charge of the enforcement section of all civic bodies to attend the meetings regarding notices issues to the unauthorised constructions.
After the consolidated data was submitted before the panel, it was found that all three bodies can initiate action against the structures included in the Format A as there is no legal impediment.