Several complaints have been cataloged against illegal encroachments in the residential area of Moti Bagh area. The Enforcement Division of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is unable to take any action to clear the area of blatant encroachments that have mushroomed with the politician and police nexus.
Moti Bagh dedicated for the accommodation of Central Government officers has been taken over by slum dwellers and illegal occupants. Open defecation by the squatters has made the life miserable for the occupants of Government flats.
The Pioneer visited the area and found that people are forced to live in unhygienic conditions which are bad for the health of both the resident officers and their families living in Government accommodations and the slum dwellers as well.
Notably, some officers living in D-II type flats have submitted written complaints to the NDMC top brass but the council has yet to take any action to remove the illegal occupants of the area.
Sources in the NDMC said, “People living in the slums of Moti Bagh are the vote bank of political leaders and they have been asking the council taking any coercive action against them..”
The Central Government officers living in Moti Bagh area have written to the NDMC chairman and the Enforcement Director about the brazen encroachment. The area according to them has been infested with anti-social elements who have made their life hell.
Illustrating the condition of the resident colony, an officer mentioned that the people who are living in slums have no toilet facility and they defecate in the open. “The place has been turned in to grooming ground for local goons who use vulgar language,” the official added.
“I never expected that staying in Moti Bagh will enhance my general knowledge of using abusive language. If these unauthorised constructions are not removed, it is definitely going to be more troublesome for the residents,” an officer of lieutenant Colonel rank mentioned in his letter to NDMC Chairman.
The officer in his letter has also requested to NDMC officials to visit the place to see for themselves how Moti Bagh is fast tuning into a ghetto and how Prime Minister's Swachch Bharat campaign is being mocked by those who defecate in the open, just few kilometers away from the lutyen's Zone. “To my surprise when I raised the matter, I learned that theses illegal construction and encroachment are being supported by NDMC officials and certain political leaders,” the letter quoted.