Land mafia sets eye on Berhampur waterbody
Thursday, 16 September 2010 05:49
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The Pioneer 16.09.2010 Land mafia sets eye on Berhampur waterbody
Santanu Barad | Berhampur
The land mafias seem to be hell-bent upon taking over the largest water body — Ramlingam Tank, at the centre of the city, which has been a breathing space and favourite gathering for intellectuals.
Mafias, with the interest shown by a big corporate house eyeing to build a shopping mall, have been deliberately trying to turn the beautiful century-old waterbody to a garbage dump with a view to selling it, taking advantage of the apathetic attitude of the local civic body and development authority.
A former secretary of the Ganjam Bar Association, after smelling the evil intention of the land mafias, filed a petition at the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s court to wake up the authorities for maintaining and beautifying the pond.
“The pond belonged to the Ramlingams but it was later gifted to the Berhampur Municipality for public use. However, successive generations of the Ramlingam family were not in a mood to accept the donation by their ancestor and had entered into a legal battle with the local civic body claiming the pond as theirs,” said Manoj, who has filed the petition under Section 133 CrPC seeking remedies for a safe and healthy surrounding for public convenience.
Once a landed property was gifted for any public utility purpose, though owned by any individual, it remains a public property and ought to be maintained by the local administrative authorities, Manoj has stated, adding that the ‘Gift Deed’ is interestingly missing from the civic body office which makes the matter complicated leading to the lingering of the dispute over the possession of the land.
A place is a public place if people are allowed to have access to it, though there may be no legal right to it. So, a well is a public well if people are allowed to use its water,” Manoj has stated while substantiating his legal stand.
The pond has been used by the people over decades. Besides being used for bathing and washing purposes, the pond is visited as a place of gathering by educated mass of the city in the morning and evenings. It has been a favourite pastime for the retired persons and students.
Keeping public utility in view, the municipality had then created a park-like surrounding along the pond on its western side dotting with lodges and hotels while film theatres stand along eastern and southern sides. On one end, there is a Hanuman temple and at the other a Shiva temple adds to the beauty of the surrounding.
But now, the pond is being turned into a garbage dump as nearby hotels and fast food centres throw all their wastes into it. Moreover, wastes and garbage are dumped by anti-social elements during nights, Manoj said adding that a country liquor shop in the locality disturbs the tranquil moments and the filthy garbage inside pollutes the water resulting in skin diseases and mosquito menace.
Hence, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate has been approached to intervene in the matter and order the concerned authorities, including the Bwehampur Municipal Corporation and Berhamapur Development Authority (BDA) to renovate the pond.
The Municipality Corporation has sought time to submit its contentions in the case. The Development Authority has clarified its position stating that it is a matter of the Endowment Commission giving permissive possession to the suite property in favour of the BDA so as to enable the authority to undertake beautification and cleaning of the tank and embankment.
Last Updated on Thursday, 16 September 2010 05:52
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MCD plans bank guarantee to curb parking misuse
Wednesday, 15 September 2010 05:49
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The Pioneer 15.09.2010 MCD plans bank guarantee to curb parking misuse
Parvaiz Sultan | New Delhi
To prevent misuse or illegal use of stilt or basement, meant for parking, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to make irrevocable bank guarantee for five years mandatory along with the application for getting a building plan sanctioned. Irked with the continuous illegal use of the space in a plot shown as parking area in the design of a building for residential and commercial purposes, the civic body has incorporated the provisions of bank guarantee in the procedure. Issuing a circular in this regard, Assistant Commissioner (Engineering) made amendment in the procedure.
The circulars proposing stringent action against the violator says if one is found using the prescribed space for parking for other purposes, legal action will be taken as per law and the bank guarantee will be forfeited as well.
It further declares, “The provision shall be followed for the interim period, which shall be incorporated later into building by-laws as per procedure.”
“It will be mandatory on part of the owner/ builder who proposes stilt or basement for parking (free from Floor Area Ratio) to submit an undertaking at the time of sanction of building plans to the effect that he/ she/ they will submit an irrevocable bank guarantee for five years as required ECS while occupying the building,” said the circular.
As per the modified procedure, one living in colony of category A and B is required to furnish a bank guarantee of Rs 2 lakh per Equivalent Car Space (ECS) while the guarantee money will be Rs 1 lakh per ECS for colonies falling under C and D category. However, for E, F, G and below category colonies, it will be only Rs 50,000 per ECS. Earlier, it was Rs 1 lakh for each category.
Proposing the penalty for those who does not abide by the provisions of building by-laws, the circular of the engineering department also said, “In case of violation of provisions of required ECS, MCD shall be at liberty to forfeit the bank guarantee, besides other legal actions as per law.”
Talking about the provisions introduced by MCD, senior official of the Engineering Department said as per the provisions of the Master Plan, it is mandatory to create parking space in term of stilt or basement if one intends to raise mulitistoryed structure on a plot measuring more than 250 sq metres but it has been observed in the recent time that at the time of getting sanction of building plan, the space is shown but afterwards, it is used for other purposes.
“The space shown in the design of a building is sold off later or servant quarters are created. And in the absence of parking space, occupants leave or park their vehicle on the road illegally. Therefore to prevent such trend, the decision has been taken,” said he.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 September 2010 05:51
HUDA digs up new plan to clean up bad sewage system
Tuesday, 14 September 2010 11:39
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The Times of India 14.09.2010
HUDA digs up new plan to clean up bad sewage system
GURGAON: This should smell good. Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has finally worked out a plan to solve the sewage mess in Gurgaon.
It will develop a sector-wise sewage system for the entire city that will settle the long-pending problem for good. Senior HUDA official claim that the new plan will overhaul the entire sewage system. The system will link all the sectors to the main sewage lines.
Simultaneously, work on old sewage lines will be carried out in all sectors. The work has already started in sectors like 14, 21, 22, 23 and 53.
The city generates over 100 million litres of sewage daily, which is handled by a complex maze of 100 km sewage lines. But the sewage lines run through just some patches of the city and many places like DLF Phase V and Vatika City have no access to the main sewage lines.
Residents in many colonies have no option but to get sewage collected on their own. We have to arrange private tankers to collect sewage from the colonies for last several years, because HUDA has not connected the main sewage line to all sectors, said Sanjay Malik, a Gurgaon resident.
In fact, several colonies like Sushant Lok II & III, Sun City, DLF Phase I, DLF Phase V, Ardee City and Nirvana City, rely on private tankers for collection and cleaning of sewage daily. The appalling situation of sewage is due to HUDAs myopic planning, which dates back to early nineties. Old sewage lines were never used so now they are choked.
The old blockages in old lines are being cleared and this work will be complete by next month, claimed a HUDA official. But residents claim new sewage lines or unclogging old lines would be a job-half done. HUDA's Behrampur STP is not fully functional because of a court case and this has blocked sewage lines connectivity to all colonies located on Sohna and Golf Course road.
HUDA official claim the work of linking sewage lines of housing complexes on Sohna road with the main sewage line to Behrampur plan will be over by September.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 14 September 2010 11:40
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