GURUGRAM: The enforcement wing of town and country planning department (DTCP) has issued recovery notices to around 100 land owners, who were involved in carving out illegal colonies in Gurgaon, Sohna, Pataudi and Farrukhnagar.
In the last six months, the department carried out 70 demolition drives in which more than 100 illegal colonies — spread over 500 acres — were razed costing lakhs of rupees. Through these recovery notices, the department has directed land owners and offenders to deposit cost incurred in demolition exercises.
District town planner (enforcement) Manish Yadav said the department has incurred a huge amount during the demolition drive of illegal colonies, which is liable to be paid by the offender under section 10(3) of Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Area Act, 1975 for which demand notices has been issued to offenders.
As per the notice, if the offenders fail to deposit the requisite amount within prescribed time limit, the department will recommend the deputy commissioner and revenue department to recover the amount as arrears from land revenue. Yadav said, “We will request the deputy commissioner to direct the concerned tehsildar to recover the amount from the offenders as arrear of land revenue as per the provisions of the above said Act and make red entry in land revenue records if they fail to pay within 15 days.” He further said that the recovery will be made against any kind of demolition in illegal colonies as well as licenced colonies.An official, part of the enforcement team, said the cost of the demolition drive ranges from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh, depending on the area and the equipment used. “The cost of hiring an earthmover is between Rs 15,000 and Rs 2000, whereas other heavy machines cost Rs 2.5 to 3 lakh for a few hours apart from food for staff and cops,” he said.
Before carrying out the demolition drive, show cause notices and restoration orders are given by the department, according to which it is clear that if the land owner does not restore the land then demolition action will be taken by the department, but the recovery of dues will be at the disposal of the land owner.
