The Hindu 16.11.2009
Poor response to Building Penalisation Scheme
Staff Reporter
| Vijayawada Municipal Corporation hardly receives Rs. 2 crores after High Court verdict |
Officials accused of interpreting rules to their convenience
VMC receives only 60 lakhs at 30-day adalat organised recently
VIJAYAWADA: The hopes of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) to rake in good revenues through the Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS) seem to have been shattered. There is little response from the people to the scheme, if the penal amounts collected are any indication.
The corporation hardly received Rs. 2 crores after the High Court pronounced its verdict on the case filed against the scheme nearly five months ago. It is much less than the Rs.70-crore target that the VMC officials have set for themselves.
Definitions unclear
The people who attended the adalats conducted at Patamata from November 11 to 13 pointed an accusing finger at the myriad rules laid down by the officials of town planning wing.
They complain that the town planning officials are interpreting BPS to their convenience, as definitions of residential, non-residential, commercial and non-commercial buildings are unclear. It is quite evident in respect of hospitals and commercial buildings, they say.
For instance, a private hospital on Nakkal road applied under the scheme and paid an initial amount of Rs. 1 lakh. According to the calculations made at the time of submission of application, the building owner would have to pay only Rs. 1 lakh more. But the officials later told the management to pay another Rs. 9 lakhs as the building was “commercial.”
Such instances are said to be not isolated. A good number of the 70 hospitals that applied under the scheme are reportedly facing a similar situation.
The hospital managements point out that the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has classified hospitals under “non-commercial” category.
Likewise, there was little response from residents of group houses as the officials insisted on some of the norms like those relating to parking area. Consequently, even if some residents were interested in making use of the scheme, they could not pay the penal fees for their houses, sources say.
There were also complaints that the officials were coming out with new rules every time. For instance, the officials did not say initially that property tax for the deviations should have to be paid at the time of submission of applications, but began insisting on it later.
The scheme does not suggest that property tax should have to be paid for the constructions in deviation, according to some of the applicants.
The VMC received only Rs. 60 lakhs at the 30-day adalat conducted a couple of days ago. And, many applicants were seen returning without satisfaction.
The officials of the town planning wing fear that the corporation would not receive more than Rs.15 crores if this trend continues. On the contrary, if the fears and reservations of the applicants are sufficiently addressed, the corporation would be able to realise at least Rs. 50 crores, they say.
