Environment certificate must for buildings over 2 lakh sq feet: Velu

Public Works Minister EV Velu on Thursday directed the officials of his department to obtain a certificate from the environment department for buildings that are constructed over 2 lakh square feet.

“For plan approved buildings that are constructed over 2 lakh square feet, approval certificate from the environment department is compulsory. The concerned executive engineer is responsible for obtaining the certificate,” said Velu, in a review meeting with the department officials of Coimbatore division.

In the meeting, the Minister reviewed the ongoing construction works in Coimbatore division and directed the officials to speed up the pending works. In the meeting, the Minister gave specific directions for buildings constructed by PWD for specific departments.

For instance, the Minister directed the PWD officials to inspect all the buildings attached to the Education Department and to demolish them if they are found weak. Then the officials are directed to send a proposal to the state government to construct new buildings.

While constructing buildings for ITIs, the quality of the construction materials should be analysed before commencing the construction process and the skills of the contractors should be analysed during the work, he said.

Minister also directed the officials to make sure that the front portion of the buildings are constructed creatively with artistic sense. “Chief Minister MK Stalin had released the pictures of the front portion of government buildings such as primary health centres, schools, sub-registrar offices, students hostels and buildings of local bodies. The buildings to be constructed in the future should have the similar type of facades,” said the Minister.