RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, May 14: Lack of coordination between the state land and revenue department and civic authorities has given rise to the construction of posh buildings on tribal and disputed land.
It was realised after going through the conditions that the civic authorities have imposed while approving the plan for the nursing home (Pulse Hospital) on a Bhuihari plot (1248, 1249, 1250 and 1251) under the then Town circle (now Bargain circle) in Ranchi.
“Sanction of plan does not establish the ownership of the plot,” is the first condition along with 12 other conditions that Ranchi Municipal Corporation had imposed while approving the nursing home plan. The condition suggests that the civic authority approving building plans has nothing to take with any dispute about taking the land.
An insider supported the observation saying the clause is a shield for the civic authority and land mafia both. Explaining how the insider said by writing the first clause the civic authority defends itself from any dispute taking land ownership in the future and the land mafia gets the opportunity to carry out construction on disputed land.
“Whenever you go to stop construction work on disputed sites the land mafia will come with an approved plan saying they are not doing anything wrong as the plan has been approved by civic authorities after verification of documents. They even get support from district administration based on that plan. Banks also do not hesitate to give them credit for what happened in the case of the construction of Pulse Hospital, which hogged the limelight after the ED raid,” the insider said.
“If there had been coordination between the revenue department and Ranchi Municipal Corporation it would have been a tedious task to establish nursing on tribal plots. Not only this nursing home but there are also several buildings which have been constructed on disputed land based on an approved plan of RMC. Once the buildings are constructed, it is not easy to demolish them,” the insider added.
On being contacted, town planner Gajanand Ram explained the position of civic authorities in the matter.
“Civic authorities consider only building bylaws for approval of building plans. It sees where set back has been left or not besides other technical matters. As far as land is concerned it has to consider nothing except its location and area. Checking the nature of the land and the dispute involved in it does not come under its jurisdiction. Thus at the time of approval of the building plan the civic authority also asks the applicant to furnish a bond saying he will be responsible for any dispute on the land on which the building plan has been approved,” Ram said.
