The Hindu         01.09.2014  

Consumer body slams Corporation for poor building rules enforcement

: The Coimbatore Consumer Cause has slammed the
Coimbatore Corporation for not implementing the building rules in letter
and spirit.

In a release, the consumer body had said
that the civic body had been found wanting in enforcing the rules,
though the law and a Madras High Court order very clearly mandate it to
seal and demolish buildings that stood in violation of rules.

The
organisation’s Secretary K. Kathirmathiyon said that at the time of
issuing building licence, the civic body said, ‘the construction should
be only in accordance with the approved plan.

No electricity and water supply connection is permissible for deviated/unauthorised construction’.

Unfortunately, the civic body, without checking for violation, assessed the building for tax and then provided water connection.

This helped the building owner to apply for power connection as well.

The
consumer body pointed out that, till date, the civic body had not
denied water or underground drainage connection to even a single
building citing violation of building rules.

This
enabled unauthorised constructions of buildings without parking space to
get water connection from the civic body and power connection from the
Tangedco.

The Madras High Court, in its order on a
case the Coimbatore Consumer Cause had filed, had clearly asked the
civic body to act against such buildings.

The court
has said that ‘it is the responsibility of the Corporation to ensure
that no building owner, who is bound by law, fails to provide such
safety measures’; he pointed out and wanted the Corporation to act
against unauthorised constructions.