NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court has issued notice to National Capital Regional Planning Board (NCRPB) on a public interest litigation accusing the body of ignoring large-scale violations by states.

A division bench of Chief Justice N V Ramanna and Justice Manmohan also sought replies from the Union urban development ministry and Delhi, UP, Rajasthan and Haryana on the allegations that they were permitting unauthorized development by favouring builders.

HC posted the PIL for further hearing on January 8, 2014. Filed by one Raghuraj Singh, who claims to be a social worker and resident of Gautam Budh Nagar, the PIL assails the “haphazard and unsustainable development in the NCR, being carried out by all the states and being allowed by NCRPB.” It highlights that NCRPB’s original charter was to restrict the population growth of Delhi and to develop NCR in a balanced and sustainable manner retaining environmental equilibrium and its agrarian character.

“The present PIL is highlighting the violation of Regional Plan 2021. In that context, it is brought out that the central government and GNCT-Delhi is regularizing large number of unauthorized colonies. These colonies account for huge population and are not part of the planned development by Regional Plan 2021,” Singh’s plea argues.

It alleges that participating states are adding and the board has permitted addition of at least 288 lakh population to the area contiguous and mutually dependent with Delhi. “This by government’s own appreciation and wisdom will further attribute to more pressure on Delhi and its population that in turn will make impossible to manage Delhi and NCR. It will defeat the central, rather singular purpose for which the NCR Act was enacted and the Board was constituted,” it adds.

It is relevant to mention that the entire constitutional effort in enacting the NCR Act and constituting the board was to save Delhi by decongesting it through sustainable development of the region.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/NCR-board-gets-notice-for-ignoring-state-violations/articleshow/26544442.cms

   ,