*Completion Certificate imperative to get basic amenities
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 2: In a major step aimed at keeping check on illegal constructions, the Government has made it clear that those constructions which will come up in violations of Building Laws and Bye-laws would not be given power and water connections. Moreover, the Chief Engineers of the Public Health Engineering and Power Development Department would be held personally responsible in case of non-adherence to the directives by the officers of these two departments.
The decision in this regard was taken in the 76th meeting of the Board of Directors of Jammu Development Authority held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh few days ago.
Though the Building Bye-laws of the Jammu Municipal Corporation and Jammu Development Authority have the provisions to deny power and water connections to those structures which come up in violation of these Bye-laws, the implementation of the same was never paid any serious attention even by those at the helm of affairs in these two important bodies governing developmental activities in Jammu, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
The Jammu Municipal Corporation (Building) Bye-laws, 2011 state: “Every owner shall submit a notice of completion in Form A-3 to the Municipal Corporation regarding completion of the building for which permission has been granted. On the receipt of the notice of completion, the designated officer shall get the work inspected and communicate the approval or refusal or objection thereto within 30 days from the receipt of notice of completion in respect of residential building and within 60 days for commercial buildings”.
“It is only on the basis of such report by the designated officer that the Building Completion Certificate can be issued to the owner(s). No permanent connection of the water, sewer line and power shall be given to the building by the concerned agencies unless completion certificate has been issued by the Municipal Corporation and the temporary connection for water, electricity or sewer can be permitted only for the purpose of facilitating the construction”, the Building Bye-laws further state.
“However, there is no adherence to these provisions of the Bye-laws as a result of which the constructions are coming up in violation of approved plans. It is most shocking that the violators of Bye-laws even get permanent power and water connections for their structures that too without production of Building Completion Certificate from the Municipal Corporation or Jammu Development Authority”, sources said.
Taking serious note of this, the Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, while chairing the Board of Directors meeting of JDA, directed the Commissioner of Jammu Municipal Corporation and Vice-Chairman JDA to ensure strict compliance of these provisions of Bye-laws by the people. The Chief Engineers of PHE and PDD were directed to ensure that no permanent water and power connection is given in absence of Building Completion Certificate duly issued by the JMC and JDA.
“The Chief Engineers of PHE and PDD have been directed to issue temporary water and power connections only on production of duly approved building plan and thereafter issue permanent connections only on production of Building Completion Certificate issued by JMC and JDA following detailed inspection of the structures”, sources informed, adding “the JMC has also been asked to ensure that such constructions get proper sewer lines only on completion of structures as per duly approved building plans”.
They further informed that Deputy Chief Minister has made it clear that Chief Engineers of PHE and PDD would be personally held responsible in case of non-adherence to these directives by the officers and officials of their departments. “Enough hints were also dropped in the meeting about recommending names of erring officers and officials for consideration as deadwood”, sources said.
The JMC and JDA were also directed not to succumb to pressure from any quarter and ensure that future constructions take place as per the approved plans, sources said. They, however, stressed that Deputy Chief Minister, who is also Minister Incharge Housing and Urban Development and Power, should personally monitor the implementation of these directives, which have the potential to discourage illegal constructions up to a large extent.
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