An illegal construction could bring a long term jail of up to 10 years for those found guilty in such cases. After the heat of Garden Reach building collapse last month, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation is now mulling bringing strict norms under which the ‘culprits’ could get a non-bailable arrest warrant and a jail term of up to 10 years.

Following the collapse of the under construction illegal building at Ward 134, in which at least 13 people died, the civic body has decided to go stern with promoters carrying out unauthorized constructions in any part of the KMC limits. Since the occurrence of the mishap, mayor of KMC, Firhad Hakim has sent out a strict message to the engineers and other officials concerned not to ‘bow down’ before anyone. The civic body is now asserting to curb illegal constructions at the very beginning. Instead of having to pull down an entire structure that becomes chaotic following resistance of the occupants, the municipal corporation is now putting efforts to take spontaneous action at the very foundation stage.

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As learnt from sources in the KMC, the civic body is exploring options of introducing strict norms against illegal constructions. While adding Sections 406 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code to the present norms of 401 and 406 of the KMC, the municipal corporation is considering bringing the norms of a non-bailable warrant and a jail term of up to 10 years. According to sources, a proposal with the modified norms is said to have been sent to the state government that could go through the due process in the Monsoon Session of the state Assembly.