Justice Amrita Singh has once again raised concerns over the efficiency of the Kolkata Municipality in addressing illegal constructions, particularly focusing on a disputed five-story building in Ekbalpur.
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KOLKATA: Today(on 19th March), The Calcutta High Court dealt with problems of buildings not being demolished on time, as Justice Amrita Sinha criticized the slow response of the Kolkata Municipality.
“A house is collapsing in a few seconds,”
-remarked the judge during, highlighting the urgency of the matter. However, despite the court’s directive, the demolition of an illegal construction exterior remains pending even after 30 days, prompting Justice Sinha to question:
“Why was the directive not implemented?”
The case under review involves an alleged unauthorized construction of a five-storey building in Ekbalpur, which was previously brought before the Calcutta High Court several months ago and has now been reopened for hearing on Tuesday. Despite the court’s prior order to demolish the house exterior, it was revealed during the proceedings that this directive had not been followed.
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Justice Sinha’s inquiry to the municipal lawyer, stated that:
“Is 30 days not enough time to demolish the outer part of a house?”
In response, the lawyer representing the Kolkata Municipality cited difficulties in using machinery as the reason for the delay. However, Justice Sinha pressed for more transparency, demanding to know the specifics of the equipment being employed for demolitions and instructing the municipality to provide details through an affidavit.
Justice Sinha criticized the failure to execute the court’s order and emphasized the seriousness of the matter, especially in light of the recent Gardenrich house collapse.
“A house is being demolished in a few seconds, and an illegal part outside the house could not be demolished in 30 days?”
-queried the judge, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
The next hearing for this case is scheduled for April 9, during which the city commissioner of the Calcutta municipality is required to submit an affidavit detailing the municipality’s plans for demolition. In the aftermath of the tragic collapse of an unauthorized building claiming nine lives, Justice Amrita Sinha reiterated the importance of prioritizing human lives over property concerns.
Refusing urgent hearings for petitions seeking stays on demolition orders, Justice Sinha emphasized the court’s commitment to addressing such matters in due course.
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“The court is not granting leave in any demolition matters,”
– stated Justice Sinha.