The Times of India            21.11.2013

Patna Municipal Corporation warns builders against skipping hearing

PATNA: Patna municipal commissioner Kuldip Narayan on Wednesday warned the builders skipping vigilance case hearing against them to take strict legal action if they did not appear on the next date, which is December 7. There are cases against 141 buildings across the New Capital circle, Bankipore circle and Kankerbagh circle for violating building bylaws.

More than 50% of the builders facing vigilance cases filed with Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner for violating building bylaws, failed to turn up for hearing on Wednesday at PMC office. Earlier, around 40% of the builders were absent during the hearing on November 16. Due to Muharram, it was rescheduled for November 20. On Wednesday, 41 builders out of 81 were absent without prior notice. Altogether 40 cases were heard.

"I have sent an official letter to the GM, Patna Electric Supply Undertaking (PESU), requesting him to disconnect the electricity supply, permanent or temporary, to the buildings facing PMC vigilance cases. Many builders are avoiding the hearing. If they continue abstaining or fail to reply to the show cause on the next date, we will publish their names in the newspapers and also paste notices on their under-construction buildings," said Narayan. "Strict legal action will be taken against those who avoid responding to PMC's notice," he added.

Many of the builders who have violated building bylaws despite getting PMC notices to stop construction are illegally continuing with the process. Narayan said, "Under section 323 and 327 of Bihar Municipal Act (BMA), continuing with the construction of any building against which vigilance case is on or giving the flats for occupancy without occupancy certificate, is illegal."

"PMC executive officers and concerned SHOs have been asked to keep an eye on such constructions despite PMC notice to stop it, in their areas. The BMA authorizes the PMC officials to lodge an FIR against such builders," he said.

Suggesting the people who are either planning to buy or taking a flat on rent, the PMC commissioner said, "Crosscheck the building map, land ownership papers and whether any vigilance case is lodged against the building or not. For public convenience, we have uploaded on PMC website www.pmcbihar.in the details of all the buildings against which vigilance case is lodged, along with engineer's and vigilance reports," he concluded.