Policy for regularising marriage palaces evokes poor response

CHANDIGARH: A Haryana Government’s policy of regularising marriage palaces and banquet halls has evoked a poor response, as the Urban Local Bodies Department has received 115 applications against thousands of such business establishments in the state.

Bipin Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 25

A Haryana Government’s policy of regularising marriage palaces and banquet halls has evoked a poor response, as the Urban Local Bodies Department has received 115 applications against thousands of such business establishments in the state.

Of the 115 applications, 41 have been received from Faridabad, 31 from Yamunanagar, 14 from Ambala, nine from Sonepat, four from Naraingarh, three from Hisar, two from Rohtak and Thanesar each, and one each from Tohana, Gohana, Palwal, Sirsa and Uchana.

Following directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directions, then Congress government in the state had drafted the policy for regularising marriage palaces and banquet halls in November 2013. The department had fixed September 15, 2014, as the last date for receiving applications from owners of marriage palaces and banquet halls to avail the one-time facility of regularisation.

The owners who failed to apply till the last date were supposed to face action such as sealing or demolition of marriage palaces. In case the applications are rejected, the structures will be demolished.

Since September 2014, the department has not taken action against the offenders as a majority of them were associated with the BJP, sources said.

Pankaj Aggarwal, Director, Urban Local Bodies, said: “The policy will be enforced in due course of time and action will be taken against violators as per law.”

A survey was conducted and reports received from 39 municipalities about 328 marriage palaces and banquet halls were analysed. The policy was formulated after examining the cases and seeking suggestions from associations of marriage palaces and banquet halls.

There was much hue and cry among owners of such business establishments, especially in Ambala, when the previous Congress government implemented the policy.

The government has fixed mandatory parameters for marriage palaces such as size of plot, floor-area ratio, parking, basement, height, lifts and ramps, bar on subdivision of plots, solar water heating system, fire safety, structural safety certificate, rooftop rainwater harvesting, toilets and cooking space.

As per the policy, marriage palaces and banquet halls located in restricted or prohibited areas will not be considered for regularisation; rather action will be taken against the owners.