Workers Union irked as 64 NDMC staff issued prompt eviction orders
New Delhi: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has been unsuccessfully trying to evict ex-council member BS Bhati for over a year now even as 64 current NDMC employees have been asked to vacate their allotted quarters citing administrative oversight. The NDMC Workers Union has now written to the Chairman, seeking an explanation on why both these cases are being treated unequally.
Bhati was supposed to have vacated his allotted quarters at No. 1(v) Golf Link Sadan on October 02 last year. He also owes the NDMC up to Rs 30 lakh in unpaid arrears, the union claimed. However, he has failed to either vacate the premises or pay his dues even after repeated reminders and court orders.
On August 28, the court of Murari Lal Sharma, Estate Officer, NDMC directed Bhati to vacate his illegally occupied accommodation within 15 days, failing which the NDMC was given the liberty to get the property vacated by force. However, no such action has been taken by the NDMC. Bhati was also asked to pay back dues worth Rs 2,92,100 as damages for the period between October 3 till December 2 last year. In addition, he was also ordered to pay damages and market rent until the date he vacates the quarters. No such dues, amounting to about Rs 30 lakh, have been paid as yet.
At the same time, 64 quarters allotted as accommodation to current regular employees of the NDMC have been cancelled citing an "administration mistake". "NDMC's Estate Department has taken prompt action against these employees to vacate their quarters at the earliest, even though they are still paying HRA (Housing Rent Allowance) and License Fee in a timely manner, while no eviction proceedings have been initiated against Bhati", the NDMC Workers Union has said.
"Some officers of the NDMC have malafide intentions and vested interests for taking biased action" in both cases and have "no fear of any investigating agency such as the CBI, CVC, etc.", the Workers Union wrote to the Director. Another ex-council member, Anita Arya, has also been issued an eviction notice by the court of Murari Lal Sharma to vacate her accommodation at Municipal Quarter. No. 3A(V), Sarya Sadan, Chanakya Puri, and pay pending arrears. However, no action has been taken in her case as yet.
