The Times of India              05.09.2013

Haryana MCs may get power to seal illegal buildings

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government is mulling to give civic bodies power to seal illegal buildings by amending the Haryana Municipal Act.

This will be in addition to powers given to the civic bodies for resumption or demolition of buildings under the Act. This is one of the three bills on urban local bodies being prepared to be moved during the monsoon session of the Haryana assembly starting on Friday. Principal secretary P Raghuvendra Rao confirmed that the bill is under consideration for this session.

The other two bills include regularization of unauthorized colonies in the state and merging of improvement trusts into 7 municipal corporations of Ambala, Yamunaangar, Karnal, Panipat, Kurukshtra, Hisar and Rohtak. All the three proposals are currently with the legal department, officials of urban local bodies department said.

"In absence of powers to seal illegal buildings, the civic bodies were left with no option but to demolish the structures. This leads to law and order problem. Once civic bodies get these powers, violators will get an opportunity to make changes in the structures. Similarly, civic authorities will have powers to seal building declared unsafe,'' an official said.

Currently, the powers to seal buildings are vested with the town and country planning department as well as HUDA authorities. S K Nayyar, president of Citizens' Welfare Association, an umbrella body of Panchkula RWAs, said, "This exposes double speak of Haryana government. On the one hand HUDA and town and country planning department have introduced the concept of self-declaration of building plans, on the other the government is giving powers to MC to seal properties. This will put local residents at the mercy of MC employees."