Concrete jungle

Refer to ‘Stilts with a tilt towards smaller developers’ (Nous Indica); high-rise apartments are necessary due to space constraints. If multi-floor apartments are planned beforehand in a colony or an area, the developers have the opportunity to incorporate essential amenities, including parks, playgrounds, parking areas and power backup systems. However, when existing plots or houses are allowed to have multi-floors without planning, it would overburden the existing infrastructure. It would exacerbate parking shortage. Lack of greenery can turn residential areas into concrete jungles, devoid of natural spaces. Access to green spaces has been linked to improved mental well-being and reduced stress levels.

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Wg Cdr CL Sehgal (Retd), Jalandhar

Not people-friendly

Apropos of ‘Stilts with a tilt towards smaller developers’ (Nous Indica); developers have manipulated the policy in question to the hilt. Last week, I went to Gurugram for official work. The building owner’s office was on the first floor and he himself lived on the second floor. The third floor was rented out to a beauty salon and the top floor was an open-air restaurant. On the stilt floor, there were four servant rooms with attached toilets. Two servant rooms were functioning as offices, leaving no space for car parking. Residents and visitors had to park their cars outside, blocking the street altogether. This policy is definitely not people-friendly.

Ramesh Gupta, Narwana

Strain on basic amenities

The report submitted by an expert committee to the Haryana Government has made certain recommendations which will deepen the rot plaguing millennial urbanisation (Nous Indica). This process has already made most cities and towns unliveable. The committee recommendations allow the conversion of residential houses into ‘stilt plus four floors’. Despite the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order banning the conversion of residential units into apartments, houses in Gurugram and other towns falling in NCR have been converted into flats in contravention of the existing building code. The new policy will put unbearable strain on basic amenities such as power and water supply.

Roshan Lal Goel, Ladwa

Rahul’s plea

Refer to ‘Gujarat HC junks Rahul’s plea to stay conviction’; law is taking its own course in Rahul’s case. Then why is the Congress raising a hue and cry over the decision? The former party president is utilising all available legal remedies. Nobody is stopping him from going to the Supreme Court for justice. Why are aspersions being cast on the judiciary, with lawyer and Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi saying that the order is ‘disappointing but not unexpected’? For the Congress, the judge who dances to its tunes is impartial. The decision is an opportunity for Rahul to mend his ways.

Ashok Kumar, by mail

Cong reaction unfair

Apropos of ‘No relief for Rahul’; verily, court rulings are typically hailed or assailed by the parties involved in a dispute. However, it is important to maintain the principle of judicial independence and keep the scrutiny of court rulings within the judicial realm. Taking umbrage at the quantum of sentence is not fair as Rahul ridiculed the court’s offer regarding an apology. He is mistaken if he thinks that he would be able to cash in on his conviction. The right to freedom of speech is not absolute. Those who scream about criminalisation of defamation are in fact responsible for it.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

Hike in road tax

In order to boost the sale of electric vehicles and reduce the number of petrol/diesel vehicles in Chandigarh, the administration has hiked the road tax by 4 per cent. This would impact domestic budgets and affect individuals or businesses that heavily rely on vehicles for their operations. However, the administration’s move would perhaps fail in a city where some people spend more than the vehicle’s cost to buy the desired registration number this hike is peanuts for them. However, the undesirable hike may become a poll issue for the Opposition.

Balvinder, Chandigarh

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