FAR Construction Crime in Delhi Housing Societies Must Stop
FAR Construction Crime in Delhi Housing Societies Must Stop
Since there is an opportunity of corruption worth hundreds of crores of rupees in FAR projects, this criminal activity is being run by the crooked MC members of different housing societies in connivance with corrupt bureaucrats, police, and builders’ mafia.
August 14, 2021
By Rakesh Raman
All of us know that the illegal construction happening in Delhi’s cooperative group housing societies (CGHS) under the dubious floor area ratio (FAR) scheme is a criminal activity.
While as a journalist and social activist, I have been running citywide campaigns against FAR construction, some residents inform me that the management committees (MCs) of their housing societies are still planning to pursue FAR construction.
I urge the residents who oppose FAR construction to formally inform me through the “Clean House” anti-corruption service that I have been running for the past four years to report about crime and corruption happening in Delhi’s housing societies. Then I may be able to help them combat FAR crime.
Since there is an opportunity of corruption worth hundreds of crores of rupees in FAR projects, this criminal activity is being run by the crooked MC members of different housing societies in connivance with corrupt bureaucrats, police, and builders’ mafia.
The modus operandi of MC members – who mostly operate as criminal gangs – is to submit deceptive building extension drawings for FAR construction to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) through members of builders’ mafia and get approvals to start unauthorized construction by bribing the DDA officials.
[ You can click here to watch a related video – How to Stop FAR Construction in Delhi Housing Societies – which is also given below. ]
While DDA is at the forefront of this citywide criminal racket, other departments that are part of this crime include Registrar Cooperative Societies (RCS) of the Delhi Government, Delhi Fire Service (DFS), Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Delhi Police, and Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC).
With their evil aim to carry out FAR construction – which spreads lethal pollution, causes accidents, and other disturbances for the residents living in the society buildings – the MC members also force resident members to pay money for their criminal enterprise.
In response to the complaints filed by me against FAR construction and related corruption, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India, has initiated an investigation against top bureaucrats who have been supporting FAR projects directly or indirectly.
The DoPT which acts as a government watchdog to monitor and control the conduct of senior officers – particularly the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers – has initiated the corruption investigation against Mr. Anurag Jain (IAS), DDA Vice Chairman; Mr. Devinder Singh (IAS), Registrar Cooperative Societies (RCS) of Delhi Government; and Mr. Pankaj Kumar (IAS), District Magistrate (North-East) who are the prime / latest accused in this case.
However, the investigation is also supposed to cover more officials at DDA and RCS offices, their predecessors, other government functionaries, owners of construction companies / builders’ mafia, and corrupt MC members of housing societies.
I have mentioned in my complaints that the accused officials and MC members in this case are involved in extreme corruption and extortion crimes in Delhi’s housing societies as well as in unauthorized construction projects worth crores of rupees.
Recently, I have also urged Mr. Anil Baijal, Lt. Governor (LG) of Delhi; Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister; and the Chief Secretary of Delhi Government to suspend the services of these bureaucrats as they are facing formal corruption investigation.
Rather, before starting prosecution against them, these bureaucrats must be given compulsory retirement in public interest. They are not fit to be retained for the remaining tenure of their service. Also, the accused bureaucrats who have retired should also be brought under the legal dragnet.
However, their services have not yet been suspended or terminated mainly because of the administrative negligence and perpetual conflicts between Delhi LG Baijal and Chief Minister Kejriwal.
The dogfight between Baijal and Kejriwal has virtually reduced Delhi to a lawless state which has also become the pollution and corruption capital of India. The FAR construction in occupied housing societies is a manifestation of this administrative chaos in Delhi.
Meanwhile, you can download the report that I have written to explain how FAR construction is violating your fundamental / human rights to live in a clean, pollution-free, disease-free, and peaceful environment.
Threats to Me: In order to intimidate and silence me, the accused against whom I have complained and their accomplices are sending multiple threats to me. These include false police complaints against me, threats of physical harm to me, expulsion notices, legal notices, and slanderous attacks on my social as well as professional status.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India has been directing the Delhi Police to take action so that I could be protected. The NHRC issued its latest notice on June 11, 2021 with the direction to the Commissioner of Delhi Police to investigate the matter and file its report by July 19, 2021. The case is in progress.
I am not deterred and I will keep fighting truthfully against their crimes and corruption to get the culprits arrested and imprisoned.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.
He also runs the “Clean House” anti-corruption service which works like a community court to report about crime and corruption happening in Delhi’s group housing societies.
