Delay in appointment of regulator threatens ongoing realty projects

If states have not set up a regulator, there is not much a developer can do. We are telling states to expedite the process. We don’t want any disruption in ongoing projects.

Several realty projects are on the edge as states such as West Bengal and Kerala have not appointed real estate regulators, a mandatory step under a landmark law designed to protect homebuyers.

Developers will not be able to market their projects — ongoing or new — till they register with either the permanent or interim regulator in states. For ongoing projects, where completion or occupancy certificate has not been given, the deadline for registration is July 31. “Not registering a project with the regulator is a violation of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Act. But we can’t penalise the developers as states have not appointed regulators,” said a housing and urban affairs ministry official.

A regulator has to register a project within a month of receiving an application, failing which the registration will be automatically considered done.

Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab have permanent regulators, while 17 more states have appointed temporary ones. Union territories Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu are under the Maharashtra regulator. Developers of ongoing projects are worried as the Centre is unlikely to extend the July 31 deadline. “If states have not set up a regulator, there is not much a developer can do. We are telling the states to expedite the process. We don’t want any disruption in ongoing projects,” said Geetambar Anand, president of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India.

The housing and urban affairs ministry also can’t do much except request states to speed up process of appointing regulators.

Housing minister M Venkaiah Naidu has written to chief ministers several times in the past month.

The rain relented on Saturday but swathes of Assam remained flooded and seven more deaths were reported, taking the toll to 59 in this season’s deluge.

Nearly 1.2 million people were affected by the floods in 24 of the state’s 32 districts. About 122,000 people were rendered homeless and are living in relief shelters.

As the Brahmaputra, Barak and their tributaries breached embankments after torrential monsoon rain dunked the northeast, anger and despair are mounting in the submerged areas. Allegations of poor disaster relief also swirled in the state.

But the government dismissed the allegations, saying adequate resources are allotted for flood survivors and efforts are being made to save the marooned people and distribute relief quickly.

Water resources minister Keshab Mahanta was heckled on Friday by flood-hit residents at Majuli, the Brahmaputra river island and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s constituency, for alleged delay in handing relief material such as food and water.

Potable water has become a major problem in many villages, putting the people at risk of contracting communicable diseases such as cholera.

When complaints about harassment from the girl students became difficult to handle, authorities of a 159-year-old school in West Bengal came up with a way out: they began holding classes for boys and girls on separate days.

This unusual move of keeping the students separate as a means to tackle harassment was taken by Barhra High School, affiliated to West Bengal Council for Higher Secondary Education.

As per the arrangement, in place for the past 15 days, while the boys attend the classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, classes for the girls are conducted on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The arrangement is for students of Class 11 (which has 130 girls and 95 boys) and Class 12 (127 girls and 87 boys).

“After getting several complaints from the students that the boys create disturbances, we were forced to take the decision... in a meeting with the managing committee,” principal Kanchan Adhikari said. “It is a temporary decision. If students change their attitude, we will withdraw the measure,” the principal added.

However, Rejaul Haque, district inspector (secondary education), Birbhum, disapproved of the step. “I am not aware of it. But if it is true, we will take necessary steps.” Many students and guardians have since begun asking how the syllabus will be completed, considering the number of classes has been reduced by half. Teachers admit they have to teach the same lessons twice.

“We are aware it will be difficult to complete the syllabus. But what do we do? Even after warnings, the troublemakers did not mend their ways,” a teacher said.

Former headmaster Jamaluddin Ahmed is surprised at the move. “I taught there for more than 35 years. The school authorities have taken a strange decision,” he said.

STUDENTS QUESTION HOW THE SYLLABUS WILL BE COMPLETED, CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF CLASSES HAS BEEN REDUCED