SHILLONG: The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal of the Urban Affairs Department to allow district councils to grant building permission in non-municipal areas.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the three district councils will take care of the issues related to construction of buildings in scheduled areas.
He said the proposal includes all the master plan areas of the state as specified by the Urban Affairs Department but excludes the municipal areas.
According to Tynsong, the government will soon issue notification in this regard.
The Cabinet decision is the outcome of a series of meetings with stakeholders, including district councils, pressure groups and headmen.
In the past, there were protests by various stakeholders against the Sixth Schedule areas coming under the purview of MUDA (Meghalaya Urban Development Authority) Building Bye Laws.
To a query, Tynsong said with the Cabinet decision, building permission in the Sixth Schedule areas will be issued by the district councils and not MUDA.
However, he said the bylaws will be applicable when the district councils grant building permission in scheduled areas.
“We need bylaws due to the earthquake prone nature of Meghalaya as it falls under seismic zone 5,” Tynsong said, adding that from the earlier meetings with the three district councils, it was understood that they will come up with technical wings to implement the proposal.
