Nemom MLA V. Sivankutty has urged the government to organise an adalat to dispose of the applications for building permits accumulating at the offices of the Chief Town Planner (CTP) and the Regional Town Planner (RTP).
A pressnote quoting Mr. Sivankutty said more than 5,000 files were pending at the RTP office. “The offices of the CTP and the RTP have become institutions where the public feels harassed. A sizeable number of the accumulated files at both the offices have been pending disposal for more than a year.”
Mr. Sivankutty said the delay in taking a decision on permitting buildings in residential and commercial areas, open space, and green strip outlined in the district town planning scheme was responsible for the situation. “With the decentralisation of powers, local bodies are empowered to take such decisions and not officials. The demarcation of areas has become redundant with the changes in urban land use. While some land owners are given exemption to construct houses in demarcated areas, others are denied permit.”
Mr. Sivankutty highlighted the urgent need to prepare and publish the district town planning scheme to avoid confusion on the issue. He said the city development scheme was pending revision for 20 years.
People put to hardship
“A good number of the applications for building permits received at the city Corporation office are directed to the CTP and the RTP offices for clearance. The delay in disposing of the files is causing untold hardship to the public.”
Warning that elected representatives would be forced to stage an agitation before the town planning offices, he called for an adalat to clear the pending files.
