SHILLONG, March 14: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) is preparing to implement the building bye-laws in schedule areas and outside the Shillong Master Plan.
Informing this here on Sunday, KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Titosstarwell Chyne, informed that the Council met Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar along with officials of the department recently to deliberate on the matter.
“In the meeting, it was decided to allow the KHADC to implement its bye-laws within the schedule areas,” Chyne informed.
The CEM along with the Executive Member in-charge Building Bye-Laws, Paul Lyngdoh, besides representatives from the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) had attended the meeting.
Chyne further informed that the Council had notified the Khasi Hills Building and Structure Regulatory Authority (KHB&SRA) which will be responsible for implementation of the building bye-laws and issuance of permission.
Asked when the Council would start issuing building permission, he said that the process is expected to begin shortly.
It is worth mentioning here that the KHB&SRA is empowered to grant permission for construction of buildings in areas falling under the KHADC’s jurisdiction.
The terms of reference of the authority are to prepare and finalise the building bye-laws in areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Council with the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Land Development and Building) Regulation, 2015, as a reference point.
The authority will also grant permission to build and occupy a building within set parameters as laid down by the bye-laws. This would involve the process of application through a set of guidelines in terms of land documents and drawings.
Another term of reference is to frame regulations and standards for the setting up of any tourism infrastructure like hotels, homestays, landscaping, pathways, viewpoints, bridges, water bodies, etc.
The KHB&SRA will also regulate land development and land use so as to ward off any negative impact on the environment because of haphazard and unscientific practices like dumping of waste, plastic etc.
It will also oversee the implementation of the Meghalaya Building Bye-Laws in areas under the administrative jurisdiction temporarily, that is, until they are replaced by its own set of bye-laws.
Also, it may issue additional guidelines or subsidiary rules on building permission not inconsistent with the existing laws.
The body may co-opt members as and whenever necessary. The term of office of the authority will be fixed by the Executive Committee of the Council.