Scrap SADA or face election boycott: Bir-Billing villagers

Palampur March 11

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Residents of four panchayats of Bir-Billing have demanded immediate scrapping of the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) set up by the government for the development of the two places.

The panchayat pradhans have threatened to boycott the upcoming Assembly elections due later this year if the government fails to accept their demand.

Suresh Thakur, pradhan, Bir, Shiv Kumar, pradhan of Keyor and BDC member Raj Kumar, addressing mediapersons at Chogan on Tuesday, said that SADA had made their lives miserable because of the complicated rules like advance approval for the construction of houses, shops and other buildings in the area.

The villagers could not construct even a cowshed without the permission of SADA in the four panchayats. Besides, it takes months to get permission for SADA for the approval of site plans of residential houses and other buildings. Local residents have submitted the site plans of their buildings for approval in the SADA office for the past six months but none have got permission so far.

All four pradhans said that SADA was constituted for the welfare of local residents and development of the area but it has instead become a headache for them because of the irresponsible and non-cooperative behaviour of the officers concerned. They said they had met the Chief Minister several times but no improvement was seen in the functioning of SADA. Rather, the situation had become worse.

“Efforts are being made to approve site plans in a month but in most of the cases where there are violations like encroachments on government land, no parking areas proposed, no proper setbacks left and no controlled width of five metres followed on roadside buildings. Therefore, the approval of such building have been delayed. Powers to relax such norms lie with the state government, which must listen to people’s problems,” said Salem Aazam, SDM, Baijnath who is also chairman of SADA.

Blame rules

• SADA has made their lives miserable because of its complicated rules like advance approval for the construction of houses, shops and other buildings in the area, say residents.
• Villagers cannot construct even a cowshed in four panchayats without the permission of SADA
• It takes months to get permission for SADA for the approval of site plans of residential houses and other buildings.