Anti-Corruption Movement (ACM), Coimbatore unit, has appealed to the District Collector and the Chairman of Local Planning Authority (LPA) to demolish all unauthorised constructions on a war-footing without compromising on rules.
Secretary of ACM N.K. Velu, in a memorandum pointed out that a fatal fire accident on a commercial complex on Avanashi Road recently claimed lives of four women and left over eight injured.
Mr. Velu pointed out that it was disappointing that not only sealing exercise had been brought to a halt, but now efforts were also on to regularise all illegal constructions. Further shock came in the form of request from builders asking the authorities to include all illegal buildings constructed even after government-fixed deadline of 2007 for regularisation.
Mr. Velu expressed concern over thousands of unauthorised buildings constructed under the very nose of the officials and allowed to be put to use with the consent of the local bodies, posing potentially disastrous consequences, including imminent loss of lives. The recent fire accident stands testimony to this.
These unauthorised constructions also resulted in usurping of all the civic amenities meant for law abiding citizens. Corruption is the root cause for all these irregularities, illegalities and tragedies, he said. “The recent incident is an eye-opener on the prevalence of corrupt practices prevailing in construction sector and in the process of building plan approval. Failure to extend illegal gratification, the files are not processed in many cases,” he said. The Movement also called for prosecuting all the officials who failed in their responsibility of not preventing the illegal constructions and connived with the law-breakers.
