The BMC commissioner has asked for police complaints to be filed against members of his own staff after it emerged that over 400 files relating to construction projects in the city had gone missing over the last few months.
Most of these files relate to controversial projects, and the fact that they had gone missing came to light after citizens and activists probing illegalities sought them under the Right To Information Act. Months after filing their applications, they received replies saying the files could not be found.
Last month, they complained to the civic body chief Sitaram Kunte, who has now ordered that the officers in charge of the missing files be booked under the Maharshtra Public Record Act of 2005.
According to Section 9 of the Maharashtra Public Records Act, officers responsible for lost documents can be sent to prison for five years, or fined Rs 10,000, or both.
Among those affected by the files going missing are the Oshiwara Lokhandwala Citizens’ Association (OLCA) and Save Open Spaces (SOS), an non-profit organisation. The two bodies had sought copies of files pertaining to close to a 100 under-construction and complete buildings in Andheri, Oshiwara and Juhu, including 11 in the last three months. “When the 30-day deadline (for the civic body to respond) elapsed, we approached the BMC, only to be told that the files had gone missing,” said Ashoke Pandit, a member of both OLCA and SOS. “We suspected that there were large-scale violations in these projects, which is why we had asked for the files. The fact that they’re missing suggests that officials are hand-in-glove with the developers.”
When Aftab Siddique, chairperson of 33rd Road Khar ALM, found that a few of the files she had sought were missing, she asked for a complete list. “I was shocked. I started digging further and sought details of all the missing files,”said Siddique. The BMC gave her a list of 303 such missing files of projects in Bandra, Khar and Santacruz alone, and Siddique says that nearly all of these involved developers who had flouted norms. Recently, Siddique was part of a group of citizens who approached Kunte with details of the missing files, asking that action be taken. “Some citizens came to me on Lokshahi Din (a forum for redressal of citizens’ complaints) last month and complained about certain illegal constructions. When I asked the concerned officers, I found that the files had gone missing,” Kunte said.
He has now ordered a detailed probe and asked the deputy chief engineers of the Building Proposal Department to identify the officers who were supposed to be maintaining the missing files. He also ordered that cases be filed with police stations at the ward office level, and that the officers involved be booked under the Maharashtra Public Record Act, 2005. “Responsibility will be fixed on those involved,” Kunte said.
Courtesy:
Yogesh Sadhwani and Pandurang Mhaske
Posted On Monday, December 17, 2012 at 12:13:30 PM
http://mumbaimirror.com/article/2/20121217201212171213415034efe7ddc/BMC-%E2%80%98loses%E2%80%99-400-files-involving-dodgy-developers.html
Most of these files relate to controversial projects, and the fact that they had gone missing came to light after citizens and activists probing illegalities sought them under the Right To Information Act. Months after filing their applications, they received replies saying the files could not be found.
Last month, they complained to the civic body chief Sitaram Kunte, who has now ordered that the officers in charge of the missing files be booked under the Maharshtra Public Record Act of 2005.
According to Section 9 of the Maharashtra Public Records Act, officers responsible for lost documents can be sent to prison for five years, or fined Rs 10,000, or both.
Among those affected by the files going missing are the Oshiwara Lokhandwala Citizens’ Association (OLCA) and Save Open Spaces (SOS), an non-profit organisation. The two bodies had sought copies of files pertaining to close to a 100 under-construction and complete buildings in Andheri, Oshiwara and Juhu, including 11 in the last three months. “When the 30-day deadline (for the civic body to respond) elapsed, we approached the BMC, only to be told that the files had gone missing,” said Ashoke Pandit, a member of both OLCA and SOS. “We suspected that there were large-scale violations in these projects, which is why we had asked for the files. The fact that they’re missing suggests that officials are hand-in-glove with the developers.”
When Aftab Siddique, chairperson of 33rd Road Khar ALM, found that a few of the files she had sought were missing, she asked for a complete list. “I was shocked. I started digging further and sought details of all the missing files,”said Siddique. The BMC gave her a list of 303 such missing files of projects in Bandra, Khar and Santacruz alone, and Siddique says that nearly all of these involved developers who had flouted norms. Recently, Siddique was part of a group of citizens who approached Kunte with details of the missing files, asking that action be taken. “Some citizens came to me on Lokshahi Din (a forum for redressal of citizens’ complaints) last month and complained about certain illegal constructions. When I asked the concerned officers, I found that the files had gone missing,” Kunte said.
He has now ordered a detailed probe and asked the deputy chief engineers of the Building Proposal Department to identify the officers who were supposed to be maintaining the missing files. He also ordered that cases be filed with police stations at the ward office level, and that the officers involved be booked under the Maharashtra Public Record Act, 2005. “Responsibility will be fixed on those involved,” Kunte said.
Courtesy:
Yogesh Sadhwani and Pandurang Mhaske
Posted On Monday, December 17, 2012 at 12:13:30 PM
http://mumbaimirror.com/article/2/20121217201212171213415034efe7ddc/BMC-%E2%80%98loses%E2%80%99-400-files-involving-dodgy-developers.html
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