Residents opposing TCP Bill to meet Virbhadra

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 21

Residents of merged areas today passed a resolution opposing the “one-time-settlement policy”. They said they would meet Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh this week, asking him to waive the compounding fee.

Under the banner of Up-Nagariya Jan Kalyan Samanvay Samiti (UNJKSS), the house owners got a shot in the arm with the Pensioners’ Welfare Association (PWS), Residents’ Welfare Associations, Nagrik Sabha, Kisan Sabha and other bodies opposing the proposed Town and Country Planning (TCP) Bill. They termed the Bill an “open loot of the hard-earned money of people”.

“We oppose the present form of the Town and Country Planning Bill regularising houses of people in merged area,” said Govind Chattranta, secretary, UNJKSS. “The compounding fee is Rs 800 per sq m and getting structural safety certificate of houses constructed over 20 years ago is not easy,” he said.

“The TCP officials and builders are misleading the government because the view of the house owners was never sought. “We wanted to meet the Chief Minister, but he did not have time. Now, a delegation of the samiti will meet him shortly, and if he does not meet, we will gherao him and take out a march,” said Chanderpaul Mehta, president, UJKSS.

“Asking for structural safety certificates for houses built over 20 years ago makes no sense,” said Subhash Verma, a structural engineer and office-bearer of the PWA.

The house owners demanded that all three political parties — Congress, BJP and CPM — should clarify their stand on the TCP Bill.

“Retention polices” have always benefitted builders and real estate mafias, not the common man, who pays hefty water and electricity bills,” said Bhupender Kanwar, a UJKSS office-bearer.

“The government should come out with a fresh notification stating that houses in the merged areas are considered regularised,” the house owners demanded.