Kolkata: Senior officers at Lalbazar has informed all OCs to play a more “forceful” role in stopping illegal construction in their area. In case they show negligence, they stand the chance of facing disciplinary action.
On Friday, OCs were informed that if any construction comes to notice of either the civic bodies or Kolkata Police higher-ups at under-construction sites after stop work orders have been issued, the OCs concerned would face disciplinary action.
The instruction follows mayor Firhad Hakim’s repeatedly questioning the role of cops in police stations and assertions that the OCs be held accountable for failure to initiate action against the promoters engaged in construction of illegal buildings after the KMC lodges complaints against them.
According to the KMC building rules, after detecting an unauthorized structure, the civic body slaps a stop-work notice and simultaneously lodges an FIR at the local police station. If the promoter continues construction work, the KMC buildings department needs to demolish the illegal structure with the help of cops.
Hakim said if the cops from the local police station fail to discharge duties, the KMC senior officials would take up the matter with the DCs concerned. The municipal commissioner may need to seek help from thepolice commissioner in case no action is taken from the DCs end.
Separate guidelines will be circulated for filing reports based on daily inspections and the action taken on a mobile app, cops added. The same will also be applicable in case of filling up of ponds, said sources.