TNN
Devendra Pratap Singh’s house in Govindam Green City was sealed by JDA Thursday.
Devendra Pratap Singh’s house in Govindam Green City was sealed by JDA Thursday.
Jaipur: Sealing action in Jhotwara by a JDA enforcement team has triggered a political row, with Devendra Pratap Singh, a vocal critic of Industries minister and Jhotwara MLA Rajyavardhan Rathore, alleging his house was singled out because he persistently called out inaction over civic issues in the area.JDA Thursday sealed the ground and second floors of Singh’s house in Govindam Green City, leaving the family confined to the first floor, and drawing protests from colony residents over the action. Singh said his family has lived there for 15 years.JDA, meanwhile, said the action followed a complaint alleging unauthorised construction on plot number 60 and encroachment on the mandatory setback for the plot. Its Oct 27 notice said new construction on the ground and first floors covered about four feet of setback area and that a tin shed was installed on the second floor.The development authority also claimed an inspection of Zone 12 found Singh’s house built on a piece of land belonging to a temple, and therefore, unauthorised.Singh, on the other hand, claimed the colony was developed on society patta land and did not fall under JDA’s jurisdiction. He also sought to know why action was taken against his house only when the colony has around 90 houses and renovation work is underway at at least two other properties.DIG (Enforcement) Anand Sharma said, “If a complaint is filed against a particular house, JDA action will be limited to that property, even if there are other houses in the colony where violations may exist.”Singh also said he received a notice to vacate the property in 24 hours on Sept 29, for which he obtained a 15-day HC stay the next day. The stay was later vacated, and he received fresh notices on Oct 27 and Nov 4. Singh has since filed an RTI seeking the complainant’s details but said he received no response yet.
