Noida authority plans drone survey to tackle illegal constructions on floodplains, ET RealEstate
NOIDA: Farmhouses, roads and other constructions that have cropped up on the floodplains of Hindon and Yamuna will be razed by Noida Authority after a drone survey. Officials said boards will be put up to warn people not to build, buy or sell properties on the banks of the two rivers.
At a meeting chaired by Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M, a slew of measures was announced to tackle illegal farmhouses and unauthorised constructions mushrooming in the Hindon-Yamuna floodplains.
The CEO directed officials to hold a drone survey of the notified floodplain zone of the two rivers to record the present status of constructions. For any new illegal activity detected thereafter, departmental action would be initiated against the Authority’s senior managers and lekhpals and executive engineers of the irrigation department, he said.
“We will not tolerate unauthorised construction in the floodplain. Accountability will be fixed on officials who fail to act,” the CEO said, adding that steps are being taken to hold errant developers and facilitators responsible. He directed the irrigation department to demolish all roads constructed up to farmhouses without permission.
Officials said that to ensure coordinated enforcement, a multi-departmental task force will be set up under the SDM Dadri or Sadar, to identify illegal structures, initiate demolition proceedings and submit periodic reviews.
The Authority also plans to identify builders or people who develop colonies and sell farmhouses illegally on the floodplains and declare them land mafia.
The stamp and registration department has been asked to share data on registered sale deeds in the floodplain area too. “All new property deeds must clearly mention that construction is not permitted in floodplains. This will prevent buyers from being duped,” a senior official said.
The crackdown comes as a pre-emptive response ahead of the monsoon. The irrigation department warned that any damage caused by floods to unauthorised structures in the floodplain will be the responsibility of the violators themselves.
“If illegal houses or buildings near the Hindon bund or Yamuna are washed away during floods, the govt will not offer any compensation,” an official said.
An advisory has been issued urging people to vacate and remove illegal constructions immediately.
The department also highlighted the inherent dangers of setting up infrastructure like schools, farmhouses, crusher units, and ready-mix concrete plants in the floodplains. “Such areas cannot be secured during floods. Any loss of life or property will be irreversible,” officials added.
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