RWAs seek withdrawal of notices on extension fee

Parveen Arora

Karnal, August 19

Resentment prevails among residents of various colonies developed by the Improvement Trust and later merged into the Municipal Corporation (MC), Karnal, in 2014, after they got demand notices of extension fees with heavy penalties. The notices were served on those residents who have already constructed their houses and shops on the plots.

Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) claimed that no condition was mentioned in the allotment letters regarding the construction of the building, obtaining an occupation certificate and charging of the extension fees in case of non-construction.

As per the sources in the MC, notices are being served on the plot allottees in 15 residential colonies and commercial zones that were developed by the Improvement Trust in the city and who had failed to obtain the completion certificates. “I went to the MC office to get the conveyance deed of my plot on which I have already constructed a house way back in1990. I was surprised when I was served a demand notice of Rs 13,62,825 as an extension fee even after having an occupation certificate,” said Jaswant Redhu, former president of the Nyaypuri Resident Welfare Association.

“A policy for extension in the time period for the construction in the colonies developed by the Improvement Trust was implemented on October 25, 2013, to facilitate the allottees who failed to construct buildings on their plots. I have sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister, urging him to provide a one-time opportunity to all allottees who have occupied the buildings without obtaining the occupation certificates and also waiving off the extension fee beyond the actual date of completion on the pattern of the HSVP,” he added.

Surinder Singh, a resident of Model Town, who was also served a notice for extension fee of Rs 6,02,100. “I have a shop in Nehru Palace and ownership was jointly in the name of my wife and I. After the death of my wife, I went to the MC office to get the transfer of ownership, but I was served a notice for the extension fee. I purchased a constructed shop in 2004 and deposited all dues at that time. I have been running from pillar to post for the waiver of the extension fee, which is not applicable to my shop,” said Singh.

Responsibility of officials should be fixed

Residents of these colonies have been paying house tax/property tax, fire tax, electricity bills and water and sewerage charges from the day they occupied the buildings. The government should fix the responsibility of all officials who failed to serve such notices to the owners of the vacant plots just after the implementation of the policy in 2013. — Brij Kishore Yadav, president, nyaypuri resident welfare assn

DC to Look into the cases

The issue of the pending extension fee came to light after an internal audit was conducted. People who have been issued demand notices met me recently. We are examining their cases. — Abhishek Meena, commissioner, mc, Karnal