Sunday Snippets: Daredevil builders
By Venkatesh Raghavan
India’s largest demolition act on the twin towers in Noida because of the illegal act of builders and officials merits a lot of thinking and someone espoused the sentiment that there were hordes of homeless people and ones suffering from subhuman slum conditions. Such towers instead of getting demolished can be used to house these less fortunate beings in our country… and blah blah… Ant not to overlook the massive inconvenience it caused to the neighbours.
Call me a maverick but it, however, struck me differently. My thought was borrowed from the corporate culture that only recruits employees on a contract basis and pays more to keep them motivated. I and my chaiwala partner Amir were seated in the Irani joint sharing a pack of plum cakes. Our conversation went on somewhat like this.
Amir: Another one bites the dust. The tallest twin towers are slated for the demolition act.
Me: The builders who construct such towers hardly get penalized. They are able to grease palms and keep their act going till it’s time for people to come and occupy their newly erected premises. It’s the people who move in and occupy who are faced with a crisis situation after spending a huge sum on their so-called dream home. I think we should modify our legislation a bit which will result in a win-win situation.
Amir: What on earth do you mean by win-win? Who is going to benefit by paying hefty sums for residences that get demolished?
Me: I was thinking about contract law. Builders undertaking an illegal construction be it a tower or a bungalow or just a multi-storeyed building will sign a contract with the civic body that a minimum of five years should elapse before they decide on taking any action against the said construction.
Amir: In what way is this going to benefit the builder and still worse the occupants who will be sent scurrying for homes within five years?
Me: The contractual obligation should be understood clearly. Those officers who have allowed the construction to take place after the greasing of palms should be made part owners of the properties that come up. If every officer who has permitted the greasing of palms is made to own property in the said construction, it will be in their interest to ensure that the demolition axe does not fall on the illegal structure.
Amir: Why then do you want a five-year contract period? It makes no sense to me.
Me: Look Amir, we have to provide for a shift in responsibilities and new staff members being inducted into office. I mean those who are in charge of demolition notices and action will not be holding the post forever. At frequent intervals, the people who are in charge of turning Nelson’s eye to the illegal structure get changed. The older lot leave and new entrants take their place.
Amir: That still does not explain how a five-year contract is going to help. Isn’t it true that the towers taller than Qutab Minar got demolished after a decade of a court battle?
Me: It’s elementary my dear Amir. Every five years the contract can get renewed with the new entrants in charge of demolitions getting the property deeds transferred to their names. This process will ensure that it’s in the selfish interests of the civic body to maintain the building in a trouble-free manner. After all, aren’t we as rule-breakers already accustomed to institutionalizing corruption?
Amir: Oh yes we should save such demolitions! Do you want more tea?
