HC questions reasoning of MCD calling concrete structures slums

New Delhi, Dec 14 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today questioned the reasoning of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) naming concrete structures as slums in Bharat Nagar and not demolishing ten per cent of the houses despite a court order.

A division bench of Chief Justice M K Sharma and Justice Rekha Sharma asked, ''how could the MCD authorities discriminate and demolish 90 per cent of the structures and leave ten per cent houses as slums?'' When the court's Monitoring Committee member N N Vohra submitted that the MCD did not execute the court order and left behind ten per cent of the structures, the court said, ''we understand slums are not concrete structures.'' Senior Counsel Vinay Sabharwal appearing for the MCD and DDA said that the structures were not demolished as they were slums as per the records with the government authorities.

While hearing a PIL filed by Kalyan Sansthan Sangathan, the court also directed the Delhi Government authorities to look into the matter pertaining to Budh Vihar and Paul Colony where govenment land had been transferred by executing general power of attorny by unscrupulous people at the Sub-Registrar's office.

The Land Commissioner of Delhi had been directed to file a action taken report in this regard by January 10, the next date of hearing.

The judges observed that due to lackadaisical attitude of the authorities, the orders of the court were not being implemented in letter and spirit.

''Prompt action was not taken by the Delhi Government, MCD and DDA despite subsequent orders pronounced by the court,'' said the judges.

Mr Sabharwal submitted that the authorities would be very particular in executing the court orders henceforth.

UNI PAT DKA RAI1930