Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Assembly on the last day of Monsoon Session passed the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning (Amendment Bill) 2016 as a one-time settlement policy. The bill will paves way for regularization of over 25,000 illegal constructions on “as is, where is” basis for a payment of nominal compounding fee.
Both the Treasury and Opposition bench supported the amendment Bill, and some of them even wanted the compounding fee be further reduced.
The bill not only provides for regularisation of deviations up to 70 per cent but even the buildings constructed without any sanctioned building plan would be regularised.
Town and Country Planning Minister Sudhir Sharma clarified that an effort had been made to benefit those who had raised structures in violation of norms. The minister claimed that bill is aiming to benefit all and honoring suggestions made by the Select Committee of the Vidhan Sabha.
The minister said as far as reducing the compounding rates or charging lump sum was concerned, it would not be possible as the rates were barely 15 per cent of what had been proposed earlier.
The bill is also not giving any exemption for regularisation of constructions in green and heritage areas, encroached lands and pockets kept for parks, sewerage or other facilities and the parking converted into other use, except in cases where alternate equivalent and excess space is available for parking.
Shimla legislature Suresh Bhardwaj, Kasumpati legislature Anirudh Singh, Kullu legislature Maheshwar Singh and Nahan MLA Raji Bindal participated in the debate.
