The Times of India                   29.10.2010

PCMC did not issue notices against errant builders

PUNE: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has not issued notices to any of the builders who haven't handed over free amenity space to the civic body as per the policy adopted in 2008 for allowing conversion of industrial land to residential. This was revealed in the reply given by PCMC's building permission department to a Right to Information Act application filed by Shiv Sena corporator Seema Savale on September 18.

The PCMC had adopted the policy in 2008 to allow builders to convert industrial land into residential by paying premium charges and giving 10 per cent of the land as amenity space free of cost to the civic body. As many as 17 builders have so far taken benefit of this scheme but only a few of them have handed over the amenity space to the civic body.

However, after Savale was given the reply following the RTI application, the civic body woke up to the need of issuing notices to errant builders and sent notices to 12 builders last week asking them to hand over the amenity space.

Savale has alleged that the director of town planning in the PCMC has given incorrect information in an affidavit filed in the Bombay High Court last year stating that PCMC has sent notices to builders asking them to hand over the amenity space and that strict action will be taken if they failed to comply.

After receiving the reply to the RTI application, Savale recently wrote a letter to municipal commissioner Ashish Sharma demanding strict action against the town planning department official for failing to send notices to errant builders and also demanded that the PCMC take possession of the four lakh sq.ft of amenity space it should have received in lieu of the conversion.

Reacting to the letter, Sharma said, "The PCMC has sent notices to builders who have not given possession of the free amenity space. Some builders have given possession of the free amenity space and the PCMC is undertaking developmental projects on it."

Dilip Kudale, co-ordinator, engineering department, said, "The PCMC issued 12 notices last week on the directives of commissioner Sharma. The PCMC will not give completion certificates partial or otherwise and permission to load transfer of development right (TDR) to these errant builders."

Ashish Patil, deputy director, town planning department, claimed that the affidavit Savale was referring to was filed in the court over an year ago. No affidavit has been submitted recently.

"I have sent a letter to the building permission department to take possession of the free amenity space from builders. The building permission department gives building permission and has the powers to take possession of the free amenity space," he added.