Mumbai: Act against illegal buildings Bhupendra Vira highlighted, RTI activists

Free Press Journal‎: Mumbai: Sunday, October 23, 2016.

More than 30 RTI activists across the wards in the city met Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) chief Ajoy Mehta on Friday in connection with the October 15 murder of RTI activist Bhupendra Vira at Vakola.

The activists questioned the civic chief as to why the MCGM was not demolishing the illegal construction done by former Congress Corporator Razzak Khan. “No reply was received from Mehta, who ended the conversation saying-‘Sorry’,” said Aftab Siddique, one of the activists who was part of the meeting.

Vira, who was shot dead at his Vakola residence in Santa Cruz, had exposed encroachers and unauthorised constructions in and around the Kalina area. Siddique, while speaking to Free Press Journal, said, “The Deputy Municipal Commissioners in the zones have failed to address the public interest issues. The citizens are said to be the eyes and ears of the government, but we are the real victims when we raise our voice.”

The activists also shot a complaint letter to the Law and Order Department of the Mumbai Police, demanding strict action against the illegal constructions done by Khan at the earliest. Siddique alleged, “Every time, land and survey records are being changed fraudulently by the civic authorities, but no action has been taken against them.”

Siddique further added, “The civic administration is responsible for encouraging such anti-social elements and land grabbers, who then get the power to threaten activists and citizens. Departmental inquiries of MCGM to date have not resulted in any conviction or dismissal of any officer. Delaying promotion by a year or holding back salary for six months means nothing to an officer involved in corruption.”

The activists have demanded that the police department be active in all the wards, inspect the situation and take timely action against criminals.

“We have been highlighting the illegal constructions in the western suburbs from 2012, but MCGM officials have taken no action. If the civic body had looked into the matter and demolished the structures, Vira would not have died,” said the activists.