Capt cabinet nod to one-time settlement of building violations

Any person, who has made a noncompoundable building violation till June 30, 2018, can disclose such violation voluntarily to the competent authority, and apply for settlement online. A GOVT SPOKESPERSON

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod to onetime settlement of “non-compoundable” violations related to unauthorised construction up to June 30 last year as long as this did not compromise fire and structural safety standards.

The cabinet approved the promulgation of the Punjab Onetime Voluntary Disclosure and Settlement of Violations of the Buildings Ordinance, 2018, for all the buildings constructed in violation of the building bylaws in the municipal areas as per the cut-off date, a government spokesperson said.

The move is aimed at ensuring the existing unauthorised buildings are aligned to the parking, fire and safety standards across the state as it is no longer feasible for the government to demolish such buildings, he said.

The ordinance provides that any person, who has made a noncompoundable building violation till June 30, 2018, may disclose such violation voluntarily to the competent authority, and apply for settlement online along with photographs of the building, within a period of three months.

The non-compoundable building violations in residential plotted buildings, disclosed voluntarily, may be settled by the competent authority on ‘as is where is’ basis after spot verification. Under the ordinance this will be a one-time measure by realising the composition fee of Rs 300 per square feet of the total non-compoundable area on all floors being compounded, in the case of municipal corporations and improvement trusts of Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana.