Gustakhi Maaf Haryana-Pawan Kumar Bansal.
Builder -Politician nexus in Haryana.
By our enlightened reader and retired IFS officer Haryana Vinod Bhatia.Mark my prediction. Come 2040,there will be no potable water to drink,no clear air to breathe and entire area of NCR, Haryana will be crisscrossed by roads,railnetworks,buildings and dirty nalas,
The nexus between builders and politicians in Haryana, has made the NCR part of Haryana vulnerable to criminal elememts though its effect is visible across entire state. The situation appears to be emerging of that of Bombay of 1960 and 1970. The local community at large is on the verge of loosing identity as more and more decisions are taken to favour outsiders who just are invading the region to encash the rising land prices and reap rich profits. Let us try and look at some aspects of this unholy nexus:
Such a nexus has lead to corrupt practices, with politicians facilitating approvals and land acquisition for builders in exchange for financial gains. This has diverted the precious resources away from public welfare and have resulted in substandard construction.
Small hills of Garbage can be found around every city giving a pathetic sight and a source of diseases. Every waterdroplet here is polluted. The sources of water have depleted but the nexus is giving permission to dig borewells even in dark zones.
Builders are fighting to acquire land through illegal means or by exploiting political connections, leading to land grabbing issues. Infact there is auction of facilitation money to be paid to grab the land by hook or crook on the part of builders in the corridors of power.Tactfully enough our so called honest politicians try to maintain continuity of some senior bureaucrats which they call experts but infact are cool cogs of unholy nexus. This sends right message to the builders. Then there is wishful thinking to grab as much as possible while in office. Afterall why should they bother about future generations.
What this land grabbing is doing. Well it is displacing local communities and negatively affecting landowners’ rights. In pursuit of profits, builders are dissregarding the environmental regulations and engaging in activities that harm the environment, such as unauthorized construction in ecologically sensitive areas.
Politicians and builders are tactfully prioritizing projects that benefit them personally over essential infrastructure development. Aravalli Safari Park is a case example whose files are moving at jet speed.
What is in store in the future dimensions of time. The collusion between politicians and builders can foster an environment where criminal elements thrive. Illicit activities such as land mafias, illegal construction, and land disputes can escalate, leading to criminality in the region. This nexus can exacerbate wealth and power imbalances in society, as politicians and builders amass disproportionate wealth and influence, while ordinary citizens suffer from the consequences.The close relationship between politicians and builders can result in a lack of accountability for illegal activities. This can hinder efforts to combat corruption and uphold the rule of law.
What is a way out because nobody can break this nexus. It has already dug so deep that all types of politicians across political parties are keen to join the nexus. Right now no one is willing to help the society as it is a loosing cause. Judiciary is too slow to prevent this. So to address these issues, it’s crucial for civil society, the media, and honest law enforcement to remain vigilant, expose wrongdoing and advocate for transparency and accountability in the construction and real estate sectors. Additionally, electoral and legal reforms can help reduce the influence of money and vested interests in politics, promoting a more equitable and just society but who will bell the cat. Voters must chose the least corrupt while exercising their adult franchise.
So why wait. Now it is 2024 and the predicted scenario is 2040 some 16 years away. Every responsible citizen of this zome must come out with a good camera and take pictures on daily basis to show his future generations the status of landscape as on date. Landscape photography must be a hobby now of every citizen and social media platform is there to support them. Each photo must have date and geotagging code. Download GPS camera app free and go out for clicking. One need not take leave for this work. All governments with politicians and bureaucrats at top are indulging in wardrobe malfunction and be a proud person to expose them. A job done with full honesty never goes waste. All the best to my readers.