Darjeeling, June 13: The hill municipality
today directed the Darjeeling district magistrate to stop
“construction” of a proposed hawkers’ market at Chowrasta where workers
were seen digging up soil today. The administration, however, continued
the work despite the verbal communication from the civic body.
Many apolitical
organisations from the hills had opposed the district administration’s
move to set up the hawkers’ market at Chowrasta, a project whose
foundation was laid by the chief minister.
“When we were told
work had begun, I called up the district magistrate requesting him to
stop it as it is illegal to start any construction in the Darjeeling
municipality area without a plan sanctioned by the municipality,” said
Suk Bahadur Biswakarma, vice-chairman of the civic body.
When the
administration overlooked the verbal request, the municipality wrote a
letter to Rohini Engineering Co-operative Society Limited, the agency
entrusted with the work. It was sent around 3pm today. Copies of the
letter were also sent to the district magistrate, superintendent of
police, Darjeeling, executive engineer, PWD (Darjeeling division), and
inspector-in-charge, Darjeeling Sadar police station.
The directive
signed by Biswakarma read: “It has been reported by the field staff of
Darjeeling municipality engineering department that your society has
taken up construction of Hawkers’ Market at C.R. Das Road, Chowrasta, Darjeeling without prior sanctioned building plan from Darjeeling
municipality. This is a clear case of violation of Section 220 of the
West Bengal Municipal Act, 1993. You are, therefore, directed to stop
the construction work forthwith.” Section 220 states: “In any case in
which the erection of a building or any other work connected therewith
has been commenced or is being carried on unlawfully, the Chairman, may
by written notice, require the owner or the persons carrying on such
erection or unlawful work to discontinue the same forthwith, pending
further proceedings as respects such unauthorised construction.”
The section empowers the chairman to take help from police or municipality employees if such directives are not followed.
Biswakarma said:
“We learnt that the district magistrate, superintendent of police and
other police officers were present at the site when the work started
this morning.”
On May 22, senior
citizens from the Morning Health Club and Federation of Societies for
Environment Protection had protested after workers were seen marking
trees to be felled for the proposed hawkers’ market.
Social
organisations like Jagriti Sewa Samity, Sahayak Samity and Amar Singh
Gram had also written to the municipality to stop the construction.
“We cannot allow work with so many objections,” said Biswakarma.
Sushan Rai,
secretary of Rohini Engineering Co-operative Society, said he had been
directed by the PWD to start construction with 15 labourers from 8am
today. “I received the letter on June 11,” he said.
District
magistrate Puneet Yadav said only a survey was being conducted at the
site. Asked if digging was needed for a survey, he said: “It is needed
as we need to know how deep the hard layer is. We will not fell even one
tree. We will also ensure that the building height does not exceed the
restriction (11.2m) and no walking space is encroached upon on CR Das
Road. If we are conforming to all norms then I do not think anybody can
act arbitrarily.”
Biswakarma, however, said today, the workers were removing a retention wall and digging earth at the site.(TT)