Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'NMMC’s war against illegal constructions' that was published in Newsband

NMMC’s war against illegal constructions

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has asked the fire fighters to buy their own rain gear and apply for reimbursement thereafter. This has created unrest among the fire fighting staff. The raincoat and gum boots of fire fighting staff need to be standard quality. The civic administration has set a limit of Rs 730 for gum boots and 782 for raincoat. Fire fighters are supposed to be important persons in any city and hence NMMC should be kind enough to provide them whatever gears and equipment they require without compromising on the quality of things they provide to them.

NMMS has also asked the land owners and developers to take adequate measures during monsoon season. NMMC has issued a series of directives that include ensuring no water logging occurs in pits dug up for construction purposes. NMMC wants the builders to ensure that construction activities do not cause any damage to neighbouring buildings. Also, if developers fail to secure these dug-up areas, it becomes a potentially risky spots, especially for children. Incomplete construction sites should have compound walls so that children and animals cannot enter, as per NMMC’s directives.

NMMC has asked citizens to report illegal structures. NMMC has decided to designate ward officers for acting upon complaints regarding illegal constructions lodged via toll-free numbers, WhatsApp and the official website. The officers will attend to the complaints promptly, said senior civic officials. NMMC has appealed to the citizens to lodge complaints against illegal constructions in their neighbourhood. They also requested prospective home and shop buyers to avoid striking property deals where OC and civic approvals have not been obtained. The high court also has asked NMMC to crack the whip on illegal constructions and set up dedicated grievance redressal centres at various ward offices. These are great steps taken in the direction of stopping the menace of illegal constructions coming up in many parts of the city.