In a bid to check unauthorised construction or encroachment on public land, lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung has set up a Special Task Force at district level to protect Government land and recover encroached public land.
The task force will also check construction of buildings without sanctioned building plan. District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) will be chairman while Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of the district will be the member of the task force. Delhi Government had earlier set up a special task force headed by sub-divisional magistrates set up in early 2011 to check illegal construction and rein in land sharks but the body was disband within a year after protest by the political class. The Government justification was that the crackdown on illegal construction was the job of the MCD which now stands trifurcated and is hence, in a better position to take action.
According to order, issued by Chief Secretary SK Srivastava, task force at district level will be empowered to protect public land and recover it and to recommend disciplinary action against officials of any land owning agency for its failure to carry out the directions of the task force. Besides Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) and DCP, the task force comprises representatives of Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Public Works Department (PWD), not below the rank of deputy director/executive engineer and representatives of other land owning agencies to be inducted wherever necessary.
“Act on information, source intelligence, complaints and reference from land owning agencies/local bodies regarding encroachment on public land and construction of building without sanctioned building plan. It will direct land owning agencies to protect and recover encroached Government lands in gram sabha land,” the order said. The task force will meet at fortnightly intervals or more often as may be required to dispose off the matter brought before it. It will also be empowered to issue directions to various land owning agencies and local bodies to protect and maintain the Government land, including gram sabha land and for initiating action against buildings without sanctioned building plan. The meeting of the task force shall be attended by the concerned member in person and no substitution shall be allowed. In case concerned member is unavailable due to unavoidable circumstances, prior leave or absence may be taken from the chairman of the task force. The task force will submit its report by seventh of every succeeding month.