SC panel scraps advance sealing notice

NEW DELHI: On sealing illegal constructions in the national capital, the monitoring panel appointed by the Supreme Court has requested the court to abolish the present system of giving 48 hours advance notice before taking action against such unauthorised structures as it was misused by offenders.

In a report filed in the apex court, the committee said that the provision of advance notice gives the time to remove the illegal structures and resort to dubious means to avoid any action by influencing officials of the civic agencies.

As per the report, “It is believed that in collaboration with incompatible elements, local authorities officials monitor the illegal activities of the coaching institutions, guest houses, mushrooming of unauthorised constructions, under the guise of mixed use activities in the residential areas. It is an idea that in the case of mixed land use, commercial activities should only be on the ground floor, not on any other floor.”