ACB probes 2,600 illegal colonies in Haryana

Chandigarh: Officials from depts, including urban local bodies (ULB), town and country planning (TCP), and district revenue offices are facing possible administrative and penal action as the Haryana State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (HSVACB) enters the final stage of an in-depth probe into the mushrooming of illegal colonies across the state.The bureau is investigating the existence and growth of around 2,600 illegal colonies that allegedly came up in violation of multiple laws and in breach of norms prescribed by the TCP and ULB depts.Sources said the depts concerned are expected to initiate action against erring officials and private individuals named in the probe, which is backed by documentary evidence and revenue records related to the properties involved. Large-scale demolition drives are also being planned, sources indicated.HSVACB director general A S Chawla said the probe was being conducted under the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court. "Our teams are investigating as per the guidelines laid down by the court. The probe is at an advanced stage and the report will be submitted directly to the court," Chawla said.Officials said the investigation would also identify govt employees and officers who allegedly colluded with developers in carving out illegal colonies. Housing, institutional and industrial blocks developed on agricultural land without obtaining change-of-land-use (CLU) permission or no-objection certificates from the TCP dept and the civic bodies concerned are classified as illegal colonies.According to information, the vigilance headquarters has distributed the probe across all four ranges covering the state, with SP-rank officers supervising the exercise. Teams are being assisted by technical experts from various depts.The state govt had earlier taken action against illegal colonisation, particularly the one which reportedly occurred during the Covid period. The revenue and disaster management dept and ULB dept had, in the past, identified officials allegedly involved in such violations.