117 more villages brought under TCP Act in Kangra dist

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 27

In a notification issued on August 20, the state government had brought 76 more villages of Palampur Assembly constituency and all areas falling in Palampur Municipal Corporation under Town and Country Planning Act 1977. With this, the provisions of the TCP Act would now be applicable to 103 villages in Palampur Assembly constituency having a population of 79,800 people. Besides Palampur, 12 more villages in Baijnath and Paprola areas, 22 more villages in Dharamsala and seven villages in Shahpur area have been brought under Town and Country Planning Act as per the notification issued by the Government of Himachal on August 22.

Overall, 117 more villages have been brought under the Town and Country Planning Act in Kangra district.

The decision of government to bring in more areas under the TCP Act has been met with resistance from even the ruling party leaders. Congress MLA from Palampur and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Ashish Butail has come out openly against the government decision. Butail, when contacted, said that with the inclusion of 76 more villages almost the entire Palampur Assembly constituency has been brought under the TCP Act. He said this would create problems for people residing in rural areas. They would have to seek permission from the Town and Country Planning Department even before constructing cowshed on their land in rural areas.

“The people of area are coming to me and expressing concern over the development. I have taken up the matter with the Minister for Town and Country Planning and the Chief Minister. Both of them have assured me that they would consider his objection to inclusion of 76 villages under the Town and Country Planning Act,” he said.

The government has brought the said areas under the TCP Act to regulate constructions in rural areas of Kangra district which fall under zone V in terms of seismic activity. The inclusion of the said areas under the TCP Act means that the people residing there would have to get their plans approved from the TCP Department before raising any construction. Earlier, the people of the area used to get permission from construction from local panchayat.

Concern was being expressed over multi-storey buildings coming up in rural areas in the wake of natural disaster that struck the state last monsoons.

Minister for Town and Country Planning Rajesh Dharmani, when asked, said that under the TCP Act, there was a provision that maps for all constructions below 600 sq m can be passed by the local panchayats under the guidelines given by the department. So, the people raising small constructions would not face problems. More areas have been brought under the TCP Act in Kangra as per the judgement of Himachal High Court, he said.

About the objection from Ashish Butail, Dharmani said the department had been asked to reassess the areas brought under the TCP Act in Palampur Assembly constituency after objections from Butail. The department would hold public hearing and see if some far-flung areas can be exempted from the TCP Act.

The minister further said that the department was close to making a master plan for Kangra, Kullu and Shimla districts to ensure that planned development takes place in these places.

Will re-assess, assures minister

• Minister for Town and Country Planning Rajesh Dharmani says areas brought under TCP Act to be re-assessed after objection by Ashish Butail
• Constructions under 600 sq m can be approved by panchayats under TCP Act
• The said areas under the TCP Act with a view to regulate constructions in rural areas of Kangra district which fall under zone V in terms of seismic activity.
• The minister further said that the department was close to making a master plan for Kangra, Kullu and Shimla districts to ensure that planned development takes place in these places.
• Concern was being expressed over multi-storey buildings coming up in rural areas in the wake of natural disaster that struck the state last monsoons.