Six-member cabinet sub-committee to examine draft policy

CHANDIGARH: A six-member subcommittee of the Punjab cabinet has been constituted to examine a draft policy on one-time settlement of non-compoundable violations in the buildings constructed in violation of the building bylaws in municipal areas.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

The subcommittee comprises local government minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, housing and urban development minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, animal husbandry, dairy development minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, public works minister Vijay Inder Singla, industries and commerce minister Sunder Sham Arora and food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

A Venu Prasad, principal secretary, local government, said the committee headed by the local government minister will submit its report in two months.

In the policy drafted by the local government department and presented by Sidhu in the May 31 cabinet meeting, onetime settlement for buildings that are partially violating municipal building bylaws is proposed and is to be applicable within the jurisdiction of the municipalities.

REGULARISATION POLICY PURVIEW

Only non-compoundable violations in buildings constructed in partial contravention of the building bylaws in municipal areas will come under the purview of the regularisation policy.

Buildings constructed in violation of designated land use or any other act, such as the National Highways Act, will not be covered. Encroachments will also be excluded.

The regularisation will be done only if the building meets the required safety standards and has mandated parking provisions.

The draft policy also proposes that people will be able to regularise their buildings on “as is where is” basis.

Regularisation will be permissible for 50% of the permissible floor area ratio (FAR).

EARLIER ATTEMPT

This is not the first time when the state government is attempting to regularise unauthorised constructions by introducing a building regularisation scheme for municipalities in the state.

The earlier attempt was made in 2004 but it was mired in legal logjam.

The Punjab One Time Voluntary Disclosure and Settlement of Violations of the Buildings Constructed in Violation of the Building Bylaws in the Corporations and the Municipalities Act, 2004, was challenged in the Punjab and Haryana high court, and could not be implemented.

THE COMMITTEE HEADED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU WILL SUBMIT ITS REPORT IN TWO MONTHS