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Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Himachal govt to check haphazard constructions near riverbanks, nullahs
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.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Hindu
Himachal govt working on regulating unchecked constructions to mitigate disaster impact: Minister
The Himachal Pradesh government is working on a three-tier policy to check haphazard construction near the banks of rivers and nallahs, as well as flash floods and landslide-prone areas, Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani said on Saturday (August 9, 2025). Safety norms and strict regulations would be brought to regulate the construction of houses in rural areas, the Minister said. 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 told PTI Videos. So far, about 112 people have died in rain-related incidents in the current monsoon season as cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc, with losses of over ₹1,900 crore to the state. Two years back, 540 people died during the monsoon and losses were estimated to be over ₹10,000 crore. Mr. Dharmani asserted that climate change due to carbon emission was also a major cause of such disasters and added that carbon emission was quite less in the state as compared to other states and hence should be compensated for taking steps to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change. He said the powers of the Director, Town Planning Act have been delegated to commissioners and executive officers in urban local body areas. 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, the Minister said. Construction on plots bigger than 1,000 sqm area are already covered under the Town Planning Act, he said. Mr. Dharmani said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu wants to make Himachal a "green state" by March 2026. He said earthquake threats were a major cause of worry as Himachal Pradesh falls in a seismic zone and most of the private buildings don't have quake-resistant features, adding that retrofittings are required for the safety of such buildings. Himachal Pradesh falls in seismic zones IV and V and is highly vulnerable to earthquakes. Cooperation of people was necessary for enforcing the safety norms for checking haphazard, unplanned and unsafe constructions and minimising the impact of climate change and natural disasters, he added.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Himachal govt working on regulating unchecked constructions to mitigate disaster impact: Minister
Shimla, The Himachal Pradesh government is working on a three-tier policy to check haphazard construction near the banks of rivers and nallahs, as well as flash floods and landslide-prone areas, Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani said on Saturday. Himachal govt working on regulating unchecked constructions to mitigate disaster impact: Minister Safety norms and strict regulations would be brought to regulate the construction of houses in rural areas, the minister said. 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 told PTI Videos. So far, about 112 people have died in rain-related incidents in the current monsoon season as cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc, with losses of over ₹1,900 crore to the state. Two years back, 540 people died during the monsoon and losses were estimated to be over ₹10,000 crore. Dharmani asserted that climate change due to carbon emission was also a major cause of such disasters and added that carbon emission was quite less in the state as compared to other states, and hence should be compensated for taking steps to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change. He said the powers of the Director, Town Planning Act have been delegated to commissioners and executive officers in urban local body areas. In Special Area Development Authority , deputy commissioners and SDMs would have the responsibility, while panchayat secretaries would have the power in rural areas for enforcing regulations and compliance, the minister said. Construction on plots bigger than 1,000 sqm area are already covered under the Town Planning Act, he said. Dharmani said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu wants to make Himachal a "green state" by March 2026. He said earthquake threats were a major cause of worry as Himachal Pradesh falls in a seismic zone and most of the private buildings don't have quake-resistant features, adding that retrofittings are required for the safety of such buildings. Himachal Pradesh falls in seismic zones IV and V and is highly vulnerable to earthquakes. Cooperation of people was necessary for enforcing the safety norms for checking haphazard, unplanned and unsafe constructions and minimising the impact of climate change and natural disasters, he added. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
India Today
03-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Himachal floats tender for waste management plant as Kasol faces garbage crisis
The Himachal Pradesh government has floated a tender for construction of the long-delayed solid waste management plant at Kasol after an India Today investigation revealed how waste was being hastily buried in pits inside the forest. The tender, of Rs 30 lakh, has been floated by the rural development department, which has set a two-month deadline for the completion of the move came as videos went viral on social media showing a mountain of garbage and plastic bags dumped in a forest in Kasol, a popular tourist hub nestled in the picturesque Parvati Valley. It triggered widespread outrage on social media. The Kullu deputy commissioner said the site where the video was shot was not an official dumping site. The state pollution control board has issued a notice to the vendor and will also impose a fine for dumping garbage at an unauthorised location. Waste was also found to be dumped at another location without informing the rural development department. The deputy commissioner said the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) could also be fined for the official stressed that cleanup operations were now underway on a war footing. However, the official said it would take a few months to streamline solid waste management incidents, within a demarcated wildlife sanctuary zone, have exposed serious violations by local authorities of the terms of land government had granted approval (stage 1) for diverting 0.1982 hectares of forest land for setting up a solid waste management plant at Kasol under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. It came with stringent the key pre-conditions were the payment of Compensatory Afforestation (CA) and Net Present Value (NPV) charges, submission of a Forest Rights Act (FRA) certificate from the district collector, and an undertaking that no other approved proposal in the division was pending for conditions include no change to the legal status of forest land, restrictions on tree felling, protection of wildlife, establishment of a green belt, onsite waste treatment, prohibition of labour camps, Reel
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Madhya Pradesh government eyes to make SADA an investment centre: Chief Secretary Anurag Jain
India's central state is looking to redevelop the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) in Gwalior for multiple industrial sectors and make it an 'attractive investment hub' for domestic and multinational companies, a top official told ET. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack The groundwork before India mounts a strike at Pakistan India considers closing airspace to Pakistani carriers amid rising tensions Cold Start: India's answer to Pakistan's nuclear threats "The initiatives are aligned with the state's strategy to integrate with global value chains and attract long-term investments in manufacturing, electronics, and renewable sectors as well as other sunrise sectors," MP Chief Secretary Anurag Jain said. The special area in Gwalior, will be redeveloped after three decades, in PM Gati Shakti mode to offer a comprehensive infrastructure and logistics efficiency, promoting holistic economic development, and new employment opportunities. In 1992, the state government launched the SADA scheme in a bid to portray West Gwalior as a counter-magnet area, but it faced challenges including delays in its implementation. In April 2000, the special purpose initiative was given jurisdiction over 28,102 hectares of Gwalior district, and an additional 1,912 hectares of area in Morena district. Owing to the proximity with the national capital region (NCR), the special region would boost Gwalior as one of the country's preferred investment and expansion destinations, for manufacturers. The area is strategically located with Agra-Gwalior Expressway construction in full swing that is expected to reduce the travel time between Delhi and Gwalior, connecting it directly with major gateways and enhancing the trade and commercial activities. The improved connectivity is already positioning Gwalior and its surrounding regions, such as Morena, as attractive destinations for industry sectors. With closer proximity to the NCR's established IT and electronics ecosystem, this corridor enhances the viability of setting up tech parks, data centers, and logistics hubs in Madhya Pradesh—strengthening the state's position as a cost-efficient, high-potential hub for digital and telecom investment, the official added. The expressway, likely to be completed in 2028, is one of the integral constituents of India's central expressway spine which will ultimately link Delhi to Bangalore, and other key southern locations. Recently, the state government has set up a mega footwear and accessories cluster in Morena. Chief minister Mohan Yadav-led state recently unveiled a host of schemes to boost industrial development. These include ease and reduced cost of doing business, exemption from statutory approvals, and GIS-enabled land management and allotment system. MP Industrial Promotion Policy 2025 is designed to directly attract and retain foreign direct investment (FDI). Anchor companies, according to the policy documents, would be eligible for up to 20% additional subsidy basis scale of FDI, and technology transfer incentives up to ₹1 crore for overseas technology transfers. The Madhya Pradesh government has also reached out to telecom industry groups such as the Telecom Equipment Manufacturing Association (Tema) and India Cellular & Electronics Association (Icea), showcasing the designated area's prowess. The state is also aiming to empower micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) with 100% reimbursement of expenses on filing patents and trademarks, design and product development grants, marketing assistance, and creation of working women hostels to increase equal gender participation.
