Mayor: Play active role to stop illegal constructions, power theft

Kolkata: In a bid to check illegal constructions and prevent electrocution due to the hooking of power lines, Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Firhad Hakim has asked councillors to remain alert and report if such cases come to their knowledge while asking all borough chairmen to keep councillors informed about the number of building plans sanctioned in their respective Wards.

Recently, two persons died of electrocution in the Ekbalpore area. The incident enraged locals who alleged that the incident was a result of illegal constructions and consequent power line hooking to provide electricity to such buildings. Mayor Firhad Hakim recently held a meeting with CESC and police to stop this menace.

During the KMC monthly meeting on Saturday, the Mayor said this problem cannot be solved without the cooperation from councilors.

He said: “It is the councillors who come to know about the areas in their Ward where rampant power theft through hooking of lines is taking place. Councillors need to bring it to the notice of KMC. They need to send a written complaint to our lighting department, following which we will ask CESC to take action.”

A councillor alleged, it has been observed in many cases that to avail extra floor area ratio people promise to give a portion of their land as a gift deed to Kolkata Municipal Corporation for widening of roads.

“However, it is observed that once the building plan is sanctioned, the portion that was supposed to be given to KMC is instead being used by the owner to further extend their property. This has led to the narrowing of roads especially in the Burrabazar area,” the councillor alleged.

Taking note of it, the Mayor said that to prevent this and illegal construction in general, there needs to be coordination between the survey, building and civil departments. He stated that these departments need to inform the borough chairmen about the number of buildings sanctioned in their respective boroughs and how much portion has been gifted to KMC for the widening of roads. “This information needs to be further passed down to the councillors in the borough meetings,” Hakim said.

“Councillors need to be aware of the building plans sanctioned in their Wards. If they spot any anomaly they need to bring it to the notice of the KMC. Also, councillors need to send KMC a list of thika lands in their Wards. Although the KMC has now made it easy for Thika landholders to obtain sanction plans, reports of illegal constructions continue to pour in.”

Hakim also asked councillors to note down the number of water bodies on their official letterheads and send it to KMC’s assessment department which is compiling a list. “Water bodies cannot be filled up for constructions. Councillors need to submit a list of immovable properties to prevent any land grabbing by land sharks,” he said.