Chandigarh MC wants more powers for its estate officer to act on encroachments
Chandigarh MC commissioner has written to the secretary, local government, Chandigarh, for powers for its estate officer under the Public Premises Act
For speedy removal of permanent encroachments on its land, the municipal corporation (MC) has sought powers for its estate officer under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act.
MC commissioner Anindita Mitra has written to the secretary, local government, Chandigarh, with the demand.
While MC, like the administration, has an estate officer to manage properties under its jurisdiction, it can independently proceed against only temporary structures, like tin sheds.
For removing permanent structures, MC first needs to approach the local SDM court to file a case under the PP Act and seek permission. But the procedure is time consuming and leads to a maze of court cases, say MC officials.
“We have sought that the MC estate officer be authorised to act as the officer in-charge under the PP Act,” said Mitra.
In the letter, MC has quoted the example of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation Limited (CITCO) that has a designated officer under the PP Act, allowing it to proceed on its own against illegal permanent structures on its land.
Currently, MC is in the process of taking possession of more than 40 acres of land in 13 villages that was earlier with the gram panchayats.
After the 13 villages were transferred to the MC’s jurisdiction in December 2018, the land with the gram panchayat was transferred to MC.
But with the ownership of this land being in limbo ever since, encroachments, both temporary and permanent, have come up.
Of the total land to be reclaimed, 124 kanals is in Khuda Lahora, 90.6 kanals in Khuda Ali Sher, 58 kanals in Khudda Jassu, 49 kanals in Dhanas and 4.16 kanals in Kaimbwala.
Even in the recent drive, where MC took possession of 12.48 acres in Manimajra on July 15, the action was possible only after a lengthy process, say officials.
The prime land, worth nearly ₹350 crore, was resumed in Manimajra’s Pocket Number 9, near the Indira Colony green belt. Boards declaring it as MC land were erected and its fencing was ordered by the MC commissioner to prevent future encroachments. MC is reviewing proposals for developing residential area and a college on the land.