‘Dump stilt+4 policy’, Haryana Speaker flags RWAs’ concerns to CM Nayab Saini

Geetanjali Gayatri

Chandigarh, July 10

Coming out in support of the Resident Welfare Associations which are opposing the stilt-plus-four-floor construction policy in residential areas, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gian Chand Gupta has urged the state government to either stall its implementation or restrict it to new sectors.

The development comes at a time when the Haryana State HUDA Sectors Confederation, an association of 268 Resident Welfare Associations, is slated to hold a state-level meeting on July 14 to chalk out the course of the protest.

The Speaker’s “recommendations” given in writing to CM Nayab Singh Saini have come as a shot in the arm for the protesting RWAs. In his letter to the CM, the Speaker has flagged the residents’ concerns over allowing such construction in residential sectors. He also mentions that a representation signed by 5,000 residents of Panchkula city was not considered, causing “gross resentment”.

He has said that allowing such construction would disturb the masterplan of the city, violate the privacy of the residents, burden the existing infrastructure and sunlight and lead to animosity between neighbours given the clause of “neighbour’s permission” in the new policy.

Gupta has also requested that either the implementation of the policy should be withheld or limited to new sectors. Incidentally, he is also learnt to have met the CM on the issue. The confederation is of the view that if the government fails to hold back the policy, the RWAs will not shy away from campaigning against the BJP before Assembly elections.

“Last year, when the proposal first came, we got two lakh residents to sign the representation against it. We will give this to the CM. Before our rally last year, the government announced that the policy was being kept in abeyance and constituted a committee to study its viability. We are hopeful the government will take public sentiment into account,” said Yashvir Malik, convener of the confederation.