Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service
Shimla, April 19
Keen to regularise the over 25,000 unauthorised constructions, the Himachal Government has sought an early hearing of the petition in the Supreme Court against the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, seeking relaxation in the construction norms.
Urban Development and Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, who also happens to be the local Shimla MLA, has said a request has been made for an early hearing of the petition already filed in the Supreme Court.
With Assembly elections due next year, the Jai Ram Thakur regime is keen that some solution to the long-pending issue can be found at the earliest.
The highest number of such structures (over 10,000) is located in Shimla town and its suburbs. Several influential people, including politicians, bureaucrats and realtors, are owners of these unauthorised structures.
The state government has moved the SC against the November 2017 NGT order, which not only barred fresh constructions in the already congested core area but also came as a hurdle in the regularisation of over 25,000 unauthorised constructions across the state. For now, the ball is in the SC court, where Himachal Government will seek one-time exemption for regularisation of these unauthorised structures.
However, various courts, including the NGT and HC, have come down heavily on the successive regimes for encouraging the violators by bringing about six retention policies.
Majority of illegal structures in Shimla
- BJP govt wants over 25,000 unauthorised constructions, including 10K in state capital and suburbs, regularised
- Several influential people, including politicians, bureaucrats and realtors, are owners of these illegal structures.
Leave a Comment