With the authorities apparently ‘protecting’ prominent builders and turning a blind eye to unauthorised construction and land encroachment, the Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli has written to the Chief Minister Harish Rawat seeking the formation of a high level committee to enquire into the status of lands and constructions in Dehradun.
Citing the cases of encroachment by Pacific Hills Apartments and Pacific Mall on Rajpur Road, the Mayor has also pointed at the lack of desired action by the State administration against such anomalies. It should be noted here that the MCD has approached the Uttarakhand High Court to get vacated a stay ordered by the district court on action by the MCD on municipal land encroached upon by the builder of Pacific Hills apartment.
Miffed at political interference and the lack of required support from the State machinery to tackle land encroachment and illegal constructions in Dehradun, Chamoli has written to the CM stating that apart from municipal lands, many revenue and forest lands are also being encroached upon in Dehradun.
“I have sought the formation of a high level committee to inquire into such cases to ascertain the status of encroachment and unauthorised construction in Doon. Constructions have also cropped up between the Mussoorie diversion on Rajpur Road and the Malsi Deer Park with the forest in this area also being destroyed for constructions. The Government also needs to check this,” said the Mayor.
In his letter to the CM, Chamoli has also referred to the aforesaid builders and lack of support from the administration to act against anomalies.
It will be recalled that the district administration and Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) are accused of ignoring encroachment and other anomalies at the Pacific Mall. On the other hand, the MCD had earlier ascertained encroachment on 1, 200 square metres of municipal land by the builder of Pacific Hills apartment.
later after a joint measurement undertaken with officials of the district administration and MDDA, the area under encroachment was reported to be a little less than 900 square metres.
The MCD was planning to take possession of the flats constructed on its land but the builder approached the district court and secured a stay. The MCD has now approached the Uttarakhand High Court against this stay.