Norm violations: Notice to Bir hotel owners

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, May 16

The state government has served notices on more than 10 owners of hotels, commercial complexes and private buildings for violation of construction norms laid down in Bir Billing.

In Bir Billing the state government has constituted a special area development authority (SADA) to implement development projects of world famous para gliding site and new a popular tourist destination situated in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Following a news item that appeared in these columns pertaining to illegal and unplanned construction in Bir - Billing last week, SDM, Baijnath, Vikas Shukla, who is also head of SADA, took a serious note. He along with the officials of TCP visited the area and issued notices to the violators directing them to stop all construction activities going on without the approval of SADA with immediate effect.

The SDM categorically told the defaulters that no illegal constructions would be allowed at Bir Billing which falls under the purview of TCP. It being a special area, no buildings could be constructed without the approval of SADA. It may be recalled that following serious observations made by the apex court while hearing the cases pertaining to illegal construction in Kasauli and subsequent murder of Assistant Town Planner, the authorities have started a crackdown against illegal construction. No state officer is ready to take any risk in allowing constructions by deviating from the plans approval by the TCP department.

In Kangra district alone over 200 illegal construction have been identified and notices are being served to initiate action against the violators before August 2018, when the case will again come up for hearing in the apex court for placing a status report.