47 gated communities to get notices
Thursday, 20 November 2014 11:37
The Times of India 20.11.2014 47 gated communities to get notices COIMBATORE:
A detailed inspection by the local planning authority has revealed that
47 of 67 group development projects in the city have deviated from the
approved plan. "These 47 buildings will be issued show cause notices
within a week," said officials of the local planning authority (LPA).
"Group buildings are generally gated communities and have more than one
block. These buildings will be issued notices within a week and will be
asked to submit the revised design within 15 days. If this is not done,
the buildings will be sealed," said an LPA official.
Last
week, LPA identified and sent notices to 13 multistoried buildings that
had deviated from the approved plan last week. While owner of two
commercial buildings agreed to demolish the unapproved portion, the rest
have sent revised designs for approval.
Of the 47 group
developments that will get notices next week, 34 are residential
complexes, 12 educational institutions and one a commercial complex,
said an official. The inspections were carried out after a building
under construction collapsed at Moulivakkam in Chennai on June 28
killing 61 workers.
"Most of the violations are in the
infrastructure and amenities areas," said the official. Many of the
gated communities are located within city limits at Nanjundapuram,
Avinashi Road, Trichy Road, Vadavalli, Uppilipalayam, Saibaba Colony,
Ramanathapuram and Vilankurichi. Some educational institutions located
at Athipalayam, Myleripalayam, Somayampalayam, Thirumalayampalayam,
Kondayampalayam and Karumbapalayam are on the list.
Last week, LPA had issued notices to 11 residential buildings and two commercial complexes, both hospitals.
"Both hospitals had built a room to store medicines in the area that
was allotted for parking. They have demolished them and submitted a
revised plan to us," said an official.
"Since all the 13
building owners have responded, the documents will be dispatched to
Chennai for approval," he said. The penalty for the violations will be
decided by authorities in Chennai, said officials. The official said
unapproved buildings will be issued notices soon.
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3 years after getting notices, 243 illegal Coimbatore buildings still in use
Thursday, 20 November 2014 11:35
The Times of India 20.11.2014 3 years after getting notices, 243 illegal Coimbatore buildings still in use COIMBATORE:
Three years after they were sent notices for not having mandatory
approval documents, 243 illegal buildings in the city continue to be in
use and no action has been taken by the local planning authority.
In February 2011, the local planning authority (LPA) identified 177
educational institutions and 107 residential and commercial buildings in
the city that were constructed without mandatory building approval
documents. The list includes hospitals, banks, industries, colleges and
schools. Many well-known residential complexes in the city remain
unapproved, said a senior LPA official. The building owners neither
responded to the notices nor did LPA officials take further action.
Buildings over 4000 sq ft within the city limits have to get approval
from LPA.
LPA is in the midst of a drive to identify buildings
with deviations from the approved plan and will be issuing notices to 47
gated communities and group development projects in the city within a
week. The drive comes in the wake of building collapse in Chennai in
June in which 61 workers died.
LPA authorities said most plans
they receive are rejected. "Of the 30 to 40 plans that reach us every
month, only five or six get approval, but many builders go ahead with
the projects, paying scant regard to LPA rules and approval," said an
official. Every inspection reveals at least five unapproved buildings,
the source added.
Of the showcause notices issued to 284
buildings in 2011, 27 buildings owners applied for approval and 15 had
submitted building proposals. Eight buildings were constructed on
agricultural land without getting land conversion documents from
district collector and directorate of town and country planning (DTCP).
According to a government order in January 2011, the district collector
has to visit the spot and submit a report to the DTCP office, which
takes a decision.
The primary defaulters were found to be
educational institutions, which usually do not pay the one-time
infrastructure and amenities fee that is fixed at Rs 285 a sqm. "Since
most college campuses are over 1 lakh sq ft, the fee is quite high and
they do not pay it and get approval," said an official. The colleges
apply to All India Council for Technical Education or Medical Council of
India for conditional operation, stating they would get building
approval soon.
DTCP officials said strict action is not taken
against colleges as students' education is at stake. "If we seal
colleges, where will the students go?" said the official.
LPA
officials say they have not taken action because they do not have enough
staff. "For such a big city, we have only 24 staff in the office. There
is no separate eviction or inspection wing. We do as much we can," said
C Mathivanan, member secretary, LPA, Coimbatore. "People should check
the documents thoroughly before buying property."
Builders
suggested computerization of the process. "LPA should approve building
plans online to reduce delays and make the system transparent," said a
builder.
New Coimbatore Corporation commissioner says his focus would be on sanitation
Thursday, 20 November 2014 09:42
The Times of India 20.11.2014 New Coimbatore Corporation commissioner says his focus would be on sanitation COIMBATORE: K Vijay Karthikeyan took charge as the commissioner of the Coimbatore City Corporation on Thursday.
Twenty eight-year-old Karthikeyan is the youngest person to assume the
office of the commissioner of Coimbatore Corporation. He is the 23rd
commissioner of the Corporation.
The 2011 batch IAS officer had
been serving as the sub-collector of Kovilpatti before the present
assignment. He implemented several innovative programmes in Kovilpatti,
including a scheme to issue a patta in an hour.
A native of Madurai, Karthikeyan completed his MBBS at Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai, in 2009.
"Being a doctor, my focus will definitely be on sanitation and cleanliness in the city," he said after assuming office.
He said that he was aware that several projects had been announced in
the city. He would make sure that all projects were implemented
appropriately.
He said he had heard about the irregularities in the solid waste management scheme in the city and would look into it.
His father, R Kannan, who is a 1986 batch Indian Forest Service
officer, is an additional principal chief conservative officer of south
zone, Madurai.
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