Isolated Sidhu writes to CM, objects to parts of new draft policy on illegal colonies

  • | Monday | 23rd July, 2018

“But no effort has been made by the authorities in this regard. CHANDIGARH: Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has sought chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s intervention after his objections to some parts of the draft policy on regularisation of illegal colonies were ignored at the group of ministers meeting last week, where the draft was “unanimously” approved.Sidhu, in a letter to Amarinder, has objected to inclusion of the word “apartments” in the definition of unauthorised colonies, a move he claims would allegedly benefit colonisers. Rather, it is being advocated that where more than 25% plots have been sold, roads cannot be widened, and parks and public spaces cannot be retrieved,” he wrote.“With this type of provision, we are advocating and promoting creation of downtown-like situation all around, only to benefit a few colonisers… The cities are considered as engines of growth. He also blamed successive “open ended” regularisation policies, susceptible to misuse by colonisers, even as the authorities played the role of “ticket clerks” receiving applications for regularisation.“Now, to the surprise of everyone, deviating from the previous policies, word ‘apartments’ has been included in the definition of ‘unauthorised colony’ in the policy notified on April 20, 2018, without realising the rights and obligations involved of the apartment owners… just to further give benefit to those colonisers who carved out new colonies and obtained no-objection certificates in bulk in fictitious names and constructed apartments or independent floors, violating the approved residential building plans, in connivance with concerned functionaries,” Sidhu wrote in his letter.The other objective of the policy, Sidhu added, was to improve circulation patterns and retrieve open spaces. But, Sir, by formulating such regularisation policies, exclusively for the benefit of a few persons, what type of economic activities or growth can be expected in a walled city or downtown-like situation?” he questioned.Taking on the colonisers, Sidhu added that the fallout of any provision in the policy for improvement of bad layouts would be on the so-called colonisers who sold off the areas otherwise required to be left reserved for parks for end users, just to “fill their coffers and vanish from the scene.”The minister added that such illegal areas had become liability for the government and the local bodies to provide civic amenities, which will not be possible by any imagination due to lack of resources and capacity to bear the burden.Sidhu urged the chief minister to intervene before the government approves the draft of the regularisation policy to check creation or expansion of irretrievable slum-like situations all around and save the cities and local bodies from collapsing.

CHANDIGARH: Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has sought chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s intervention after his objections to some parts of the draft policy on regularisation of illegal colonies were ignored at the group of ministers meeting last week, where the draft was “unanimously” approved.Sidhu, in a letter to Amarinder, has objected to inclusion of the word “apartments” in the definition of unauthorised colonies, a move he claims would allegedly benefit colonisers. He also blamed successive “open ended” regularisation policies, susceptible to misuse by colonisers, even as the authorities played the role of “ticket clerks” receiving applications for regularisation.“Now, to the surprise of everyone, deviating from the previous policies, word ‘apartments’ has been included in the definition of ‘unauthorised colony’ in the policy notified on April 20, 2018, without realising the rights and obligations involved of the apartment owners… just to further give benefit to those colonisers who carved out new colonies and obtained no-objection certificates in bulk in fictitious names and constructed apartments or independent floors, violating the approved residential building plans, in connivance with concerned functionaries,” Sidhu wrote in his letter.The other objective of the policy, Sidhu added, was to improve circulation patterns and retrieve open spaces. “But no effort has been made by the authorities in this regard. Rather, it is being advocated that where more than 25% plots have been sold, roads cannot be widened, and parks and public spaces cannot be retrieved,” he wrote.“With this type of provision, we are advocating and promoting creation of downtown-like situation all around, only to benefit a few colonisers… The cities are considered as engines of growth. But, Sir, by formulating such regularisation policies, exclusively for the benefit of a few persons, what type of economic activities or growth can be expected in a walled city or downtown-like situation?” he questioned.Taking on the colonisers, Sidhu added that the fallout of any provision in the policy for improvement of bad layouts would be on the so-called colonisers who sold off the areas otherwise required to be left reserved for parks for end users, just to “fill their coffers and vanish from the scene.”The minister added that such illegal areas had become liability for the government and the local bodies to provide civic amenities, which will not be possible by any imagination due to lack of resources and capacity to bear the burden.Sidhu urged the chief minister to intervene before the government approves the draft of the regularisation policy to check creation or expansion of irretrievable slum-like situations all around and save the cities and local bodies from collapsing.

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