Oppn protests for pension restoration, JMC passes Building Byelaws
Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, July 14: The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) during General House Meeting (GHM) today “unanimously” passed building byelaws bringing in many changes intended at easing building permission norms while the opposition Councillors staged protests inside the House by putting black scarves over their heads and outside the House they raised slogans against the Mayor, Rajinder Sharma; Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria and all the three chairmen of Standing Committees-Arun Khanna, Subash Sharma and Gopal Mahajan.
Apart from the opposition, former Mayor, Chander Mohan Gupta asked the present Mayor to show the written orders from Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha and Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare Department wherein these people have stated that Councillors may bring the cases of widows, old age and physically challenged persons for pensions and the same shall be sanctioned by easy procedure of documentation.
It is pertinent to mention here that few days back a delegation led by Mayor and comprising Deputy Mayor, some Councillors from BJP and two Chairmen of Standing Committees met J&K LG in Srinagar demanding resumption of pension to the widows, old age and physically challenged persons which was stopped some months back and needed tough re-verification including PHH Ration Card.
The LG had directed Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare Department to resolve the issue within two days and after two days the Mayor had stated that the Councillors may bring the cases of pensions and the same shall be sanctioned using easy documentation.
Chander Mohan Gupta further said that while Ayushman Card gives Rs. 5 lakh medical assistance to all the people and there is no need of Priority House Hold (PHH) Ration Card, Kisan Nidhi which gives Rs. 6000 to a farmer per year also never demanded PHH Ration Card then why it was needed for pensions to old age people and widows.
“In New Delhi Rs. 2500 is being given as pension and in Haryana it is Rs. 3000 then why there is problem in giving just Rs. 1000 in J&K to widows and elders,” he maintained adding that auction of liquor shops, revenue from mining and whooping Goods and Services Tax (GST) has improved government funds in excess then why there is problem in giving pension to widows, old age and physically challenged persons.
Chief Whip of Congress in the House, Dwarka Choudhary led the entire opposition to protest against the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and all the three Chairmen of Standing Committees and claimed that these people are doing nothing and have spent JMC money on “picnic” to Srinagar.
“They have not brought any order on pension from the LG and are befooling people,” he said adding: “They passed resolution in GHM that no Property Tax shall be levied in J&K but the government acted otherwise. Now also the government will not accept the byelaws passed by them.”
The GHM of the Urban Local Body was chaired by Mayor, Rajinder Sharma and co-chaired by Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria and Commissioner JMC, Rahul Yadav was also present on the dais while entry of the media was not allowed during the GHM.
The protesting opposition Councillors claimed that behaviour of the Mayor was undemocratic and unethical as he used marshals to remove the Councillors from the House.
They also took a dig on the Mayor for not speaking against installation of Pre Paid Power Meters and Water Meters.
Mayor, Rajinder Sharma when contacted said: “JMC has given a big relief to the poor as for 2.5 marla plots, building permission shall be given on No Objection Certificate (NOC) and title of the land as per new byelaws.”
He said that the passed-byelaws states that there should be only one Controlling and Supervisory Authority within the jurisdiction of JMC and Jammu Development Authority (JDA), J&K Housing Board and Sainik Board shall have no jurisdiction and whatever assets they will make should be controlled and supervised by the JMC only.
Sharma also said that the byelaws passed today declared old Jammu city and some other selected places as Core Areas where the building permission shall be given even if the width of lanes is less than 10 ft and this shall double the value of houses in these areas as banks may easily lend loan for buying houses in these areas.
“The areas within the JMC limits excluding Nallahs, forests and water bodies should be considered as constructed areas,” he informed quoting the new building byelaws.
Sharma further said that when a Corporation like JMC is formed due to expansion of a city or urbanisation, then agricultural land, Khad, Nehri land etc titles are naturally rendered meaningless.
“Also in Core Areas, for getting NOC for commercial places where if the road width is 40 ft in Master Plan but on ground it is only 30 ft, the NOCs shall be given on existing road width,” the Mayor continued adding that Core Area, Planned Areas and To Be Developed Areas shall be declared in the Master Plan.
He said that the already constructed houses constructed without building permission will now get permission for further construction on charging money for the lower portion only.
“If a house is constructed without building permission and the owner wants to increase the constructed area then for the area to be constructed, building permission shall be given and for the already existing one the JMC shall charge for granting building permission but the owner of the house shall have to alter the portion which remains in violation of the permission,” Mayor Sharma stated.
“Only 25 per cent of the required fees has to be deposited showing title of the land for cases wherein building permission was obtained but construction was not started while earlier whole fees was to be deposited and all the NOCs were to be obtained afresh in such cases,” he said again quoting the newly passed building byelaws.
“For Change of Land Use (CLU) cases JMC Act will be amended to further empower JMC to give CLU permission,” Sharma said.
He further said that for small shops no parking place will be required in newly passed byelaws while for the big shops parking places will be required.
Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria said that byelaws were passed ‘unanimously’.
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