Himachal govt to check haphazard constructions near riverbanks, nullahs

Hindustan Times

a day ago

In the wake of repeated loss of lives and property, the state government will check haphazard constructions near the banks of rivers and nullahs, as well as flash floods and landslide-prone areas. In the wake of repeated loss of lives and property, the state government will check haphazard constructions near the banks of rivers and nullahs, as well as flash floods and landslide-prone areas. (PTI File)
Even the governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, had called for 'careful planning' of the disaster-prone areas.
Town and country planning minister Rajesh Dharmani said that safety norms and strict regulations would be brought to regulate the construction of houses in rural areas.
He said that the construction of buildings, bridges and other structures would require certification by a safety council, and their designs are as per norms set by the public works department.
He said the powers of the director, Town Planning Act, have been delegated to commissioners and executive officers in urban local body areas while in Special Area Development Authority (SADA), deputy commissioners and SDMs would have the responsibility, while panchayat secretaries would have the power in rural areas for enforcing regulations and compliance.
Already chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has decided to change the construction norms near rivers and is mulling to come up with a policy not to allow construction of government buildings with 150 meters of rivers and water bodies. The state government is formulating a policy under which no government institution will be constructed near rivers or streams. All government buildings will now be established at a safe distance of 100 to 150 meters from such water bodies.
Disaster-prone areas need careful planning: Guv
In wake of large-scale destruction faced by Himachal Pradesh during monsoons, Shukla on Saturday said that the people should think where and how they choose to settle, as disaster-prone areas need careful planning.
He said that Union home minister Amit Shah had already sent a central team to assess the damage and had assured him that he would personally visit the state if possible.
'I will be going to Delhi soon, and if I get the opportunity, I will request the Home minister to ensure Himachal Pradesh gets maximum financial assistance based on the report. The Centre has already sanctioned ₹3,000 crore, but more will be needed to make up for the losses. I will also continue to encourage tourism in Himachal despite these challenges,' he said while talking to mediapersons at Raj Bhawan after havan on Saturday.
On the issue of relaxing provisions of the Forest Conservation Act to make nautor (allotment of forest land) available to people in tribal districts under Article 5 exemptions, the governor said he had discussed the matter with revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi, tribal development minister, and local representatives from the areas concerned.
'I told them I will visit these regions in September to assess the situation myself. Those who truly need nautor land will be helped,' Shukla said.