RAJ UK seems to have developed a habit of violating its own rules. Indiscriminate approval of building plans without provisions of parking and other facilities as required by law seems to have become the order of the day. Multistoried apartment buildings and shopping malls are being built at the capital's busy intersections without consulting the traffic department and giving any thought on zone compounding. When completed, these establishments will not only perpetuate traffic disorder but also put tremendous strain on the extant network of civic amenities. Real-estate developers are alleged to have been modifying plans already approved without any sort of notification. On the other hand, Rajuk's litigation wing, which comprises some 52 lawyers, has proved to be ineffective. Several thousand cases involving “gross construction irregularities" have remained unresolved for over a decade. Of the cases settled, it has won only one or two. Involvement of the lawyers in underhand deals with defaulting developers has also been alleged. On the whole, Rajuk cuts a sorry figure, to say the least.

Unfortunately, much has been said about recti-fying the situation but nothing done as yet. At the Rajuk end, there have been complaints about absence of adequate law, although the existing ones have hardly been enforced. Besides, abuse of discretionary powers has done more harm than good. In this context, we welcome judicial activism being initiated by the High Court lately.

We have earlier extended our support to a Rajuk plea for an adequate legal framework. But, the way things are, it seems enactment of law by itself cannot be enough. Rajuk has to acquire the desired levels of enforcement motivation and capability. Unless and until, in-built impediments like corruption is eliminated, a new law will invariably meet the fate of the old ones. We earnestly hope that the people concerned will get things in order at the Rajuk.