Sigh of relief as developers can now seek completion certificates with ease

CHENNAI: After nearly two years of representation by developers, to separate environmental compliance from development regulations in granting completion certificate by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, the State has decided in favour of developers, thus, reducing delay in getting projects cleared.

S Sridharan, the chairman of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India, Tamil Nadu, told Express the decision was taken after CREDAI had sent in representation to the Chief Secretary. “We have been sending representation for the last two years as both, environment compliance and completion certificate was mixed for getting clearance. In no state across India, such a norm exists,” said Sridharan.

He said recently, a meeting chaired by the environment secretary, housing secretary, along with member secretary of CMDA, director of Directorate of Town and Country planning and chairman of State Pollution Control Board, decided that CMDA need not insist on compliance report on the environmental conditions issued in the environmental clearance at the time of issue of completion certificate.

As per norms, CMDA issues completion certificate after completion of construction as per development regulations. Since the powers of environmental compliance are delegated to State Pollution Control Board, it has the power to give green Clearance on Consent to operate.The developer at each stage of construction, has to approach TNPCB for environmental compliance which provides Consent to Operate.
Now, the government has decided to consider Consent to Operate given by TNPCB as compliance and has asked CMDA not to insist on compliance report on the environmental conditions issued in environmental clearance at the time of Completion Certificate, official sources said.

Two years of effort
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