Mussoorie (Uttarakhand): Hearing a public interest litigation against illegal constructions in the hills between Dehradun and Mussoorie, the Uttarakhand high court has ordered the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) to file an explanation on the matter by June 9.
The PIL on the illegal construction was filed by Dehradun-based activist Renu Paul.
According to the petitioner, the Uttarakhand state's construction statutes of 2015 states that permission will not be granted for construction on land that has more than a 30-degree gradient. However, this provision is being violated and buildings are being constructed blatantly on sites where construction is not allowed according to the 2015 statutes.
Earlier, the Uttarakhand high court had directed the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) vice-chairman and Dehradun municipal commissioner to seal the unauthorised constructions and submit a detailed report in the court by May 27. The matter was taken up for hearing by the division bench of chief justice RS Chauhan and justice Alok Kumar Verma. It was scheduled for hearing on May 27. During the hearing, the petitioner, Dehradun resident Reenu Paul’s counsel explained with photographs how the small hills between Dehradun and Mussoorie were being degraded and illegal construction activities were being undertaken.
Secretary of MDDA, Prakash Chandra Dumka said that according to the Uttarakhand construction policy 2015, permission will not be granted for construction on land with more than a 30-degree gradient. MDDA has written a letter to Wadia Institute and Disaster Management Department to investigate such constructions and also help in identifying such sites so that permission can be denied for residential or commercial buildings.
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"In the four areas, which have been mentioned by Renu Paul in her petition, three of them are slums. This can pose legal hurdles because of a legislation of the government that stays demolition of slums brought by the state government 3 years ago", he added.
Another MDDA official Harveer Singh says, "If there is illegal construction on any land, then the first responsibility lies with the department on whose property this construction is being done. If the complaint of any illegal construction from that department is given to the MDDA administration, then MDDA definitely will come forward to seal and demolish the construction."
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Taking a tough stand on the continuous encroachment and illegal construction on the Mussoorie-Dehradun road BJP leader Ganesh Joshi said, "No one is above the law. The law is doing its job. If anyone is proven guilty, he will not be spared. The district administration has taken cognizance of it. Officials are looking into the matter."
Last year, more than 80 construction works have been carried out on the view side of the Mussoorie-Doon road. Apart from this, illegal construction work is in full swing between Laxmanpuri and IDH, near Suvakholi on Tehri Bypass NH 707A of the city.
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