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Building permission rules may be relaxed in PCMC

Thursday, 25 April 2013 11:32 administrator
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The Times of India                  25.04.2013

Building permission rules may be relaxed in PCMC

PUNE: Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan will meet civic officials and public representatives in Pimpri Chinchwad soon over relaxation of building permission rules. The demand has come from elected representatives who say that the relaxation would encourage people to construct houses by taking permissions and this will discourage unauthorized constructions.

Independent MLA Vilas Lande from Bhosari assembly constituency said he had spoken to Chavan and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. "A common person has to get much permission and produce documents to get building permissions. This is a big deterrent as he then prefers to construct an unauthorized home to save money instead of spending on obtaining permission," said Lande.

In February, Chavan had announced in Akurdi that a government resolution for regularization of unauthorized constructions of Pimpri Chinchwad city will be issued in a week. Lande said, "We hope the GR will be issued soon."

On the buffer zone around Moshi garbage depot, Lande said he has sought a reduction of the zone to 30 metres in the assembly. The civic body has proposed a 500-meter buffer zone around Moshi garbage depot in the development plan of the newly merged villages. But a large number of constructions have come up around the depot. The civic body is not providing any amenities to the houses constructed around the depot. "Minister of state for urban development Bhaskar Jadhav, in his reply, had said that basic amenities must be provided to houses already constructed around the depot. Jadhav has said no new constructions should be allowed around the depot," Lande added.
Last Updated on Thursday, 25 April 2013 11:36
 

Planning board suggests review of concessionaire agreement recommended

Thursday, 25 April 2013 11:09 administrator
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The Times of India                  25.04.2013

Planning board suggests review of concessionaire agreement recommended

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The planning board has recommended that the clauses in the concessionaire agreement for the proposed Chalai waste-to-energy plant should be examined in detail before going ahead with the project. The recommendation was made at a meeting convened by planning board vice-chairman K M Chandrasekhar to discuss the flaws in the agreement.

The city corporation had, two days ago, decided to abstain itself from signing the agreement following a legal opinion that warned it of dangerous clauses in the agreement. Earlier this month, the representatives of the state government had admitted that the Rs 60-crore project had run into troubles at a meeting convened by planning commission deputy chairman in New Delhi.

Sources said the meeting also touched upon possibilities to evolve fault-free project models in the state with minimum risk. It stressed the need to analyse the clauses in the project agreement before proceeding with any plan besides reiterating some suggestions made at the Delhi meet.

As per the minutes of the Delhi meeting available with TOI, it was stated that the ministry of new and renewable energy provides repayable grant of up to Rs 2 crore per MW, subject to a maximum of Rs 10 crore, for each waste-to-energy plant.

Besides, the ministry of finance also provides viability gap funding support up to 20% of the project cost. In addition, customs and excise duty concessions are also provided for such projects. ''We will have another round of discussions on the future of Chalai project. As of now, we had preliminary discussions on incorporating success models as well as generating the pool of fund with the assistance of the central government,'' an official said.

The government had, in the wake of the Delhi meet, decided to seek the technical expertise of the PPP and infrastructure division of planning commission for such projects in future.
Last Updated on Thursday, 25 April 2013 11:14
 

GHMC finally wakes up to ‘dry’ facts

Thursday, 25 April 2013 06:40 administrator
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The Hindu                25.04.2013

GHMC finally wakes up to ‘dry’ facts

Civic body plans to spend Rs. 10 crore for rain water harvesting pits in public places.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is planning to spend Rs. 10 crore to create rain water harvesting (RWH) pits in public places in the city. The corporation will also encourage people’s participation in digging these pits, GHMC North Zone Commissioner S. Hari Krishna said.

When compared to the core city, areas falling in Ranga Reddy district face acute water problem and this problem can be reduced by encouraging rain water harvesting, Mr. Krishna said, while addressing representatives of various residential colonies on Wednesday. More than 40 representatives from United-Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (U-FERWA) participated in the two-hour-long session.

“There is a need for greater public participation in building the pits. Seventy per cent of money will be reimbursed if resident associations take up construction of RWH pits in public places, colonies and apartment complexes,” he said. North zone will concentrate on Alwal and Malkajgiri areas to create maximum harvesting facilities before the advent of monsoon, he said.

U-FERWA representatives shared their experiences and deliberated on the steps that should be taken to address the problem of water scarcity and groundwater depletion. “The basic obstacle in constructing RWH pits is lack of proper space and faulty building plans. GHMC should ensure that building plans incorporate provisions for such facilities,” a delegate said.

Ensure that pits are built in scientific manner so that rain water is not wasted, he said.

“We have two months before the onset of monsoon and this is the time to step up efforts and build water harvesting pits,” Dr. Rao V.B.J. Chelikani of U-FERWA said. Instead of promising reimbursement, authorities should concentrate on creating proper incentives like giving rebates in property tax, he observed.

“Our experience shows that residents get disillusioned when some of them fail to get the money back even after completing the construction of RWH pits. Definite steps like reduction in property tax and other incentives will motivate them better,” he added.

 
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