SHILLONG, March 9: The Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in the state will now be recognized as a regulatory authority for implementing the Meghalaya Building Bye-Laws, 2021, according to Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Executive Member in-charge of Building Bye-laws and Town Committees, Paul Lyngdoh.
Lyngdoh on Wednesday informed the Council that the state government has agreed to recognise ADCs as one of the regulatory authorities to implement the Meghalaya Building Bye-Laws, 2021.
“We had asked the state government to amend Section 2 (1) of the Meghalaya Town and Planning Act, 1973, as amended in 2004 by recognising the ADCs as one of the regulatory authority under the Act. The matter is currently under examination by the Law department,” Lyngdoh said in reply to a motion moved by Leader of Opposition, PN Syiem, on the second day of the Council’s Budget Session.
He also assured the House that the proposed amendment to allow the KHADC to implement the Meghalaya Building Bye-Laws, 2021, will be approved within two months.
According to him, there are several grey areas relating to the implementation of the building bye-laws. He said that the ADCs held a number of meetings with the state government to discuss the building bye-laws.
Recalling that they had notified the Khasi Hills Building and Structure Regulatory Authority, Lyngdoh said that the authority will also prepare and finalise its own building bye-laws in areas falling under the Council’s jurisdiction as per provision laid down under the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (Land Development and Building) Regulation, 2015.
He also said that the regulatory authority will be responsible to oversee the implementation of the Meghalaya Building Bye-Laws, 2021, in areas under its administrative jurisdiction on temporary basis until the introduction of its own set of bye-laws.
Meanwhile, Council EM Paul Lyngdoh said that in the last meeting with Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, it was decided to allow the ADCs to make their own bye-laws provided they are not in conflict with those of the state government in terms of parameters of construction, safety and right of way among others.
Informing the House that they have received as many as 400 applications for housing loan from banks, Lyngdoh said that they will issue no-objection certificate (NOC) for approval of the housing loan with conditions that the application, drawing designs and other documents will be submitted with the Council. “The banks had cleared the housing loan of all the 400 applications,” the KHADC EM said.
He also said that the Council has received applications in regard to building permission for construction of dwelling units and commercial buildings like hotels and homestays.
Earlier, the Leader of Opposition had observed that if the KHADC is issuing permission according to the state government’s regulation, then the Council is acting like one of the departments of the state government. “Personally, I feel it will create more problem and confusion. I strongly advocated that we would implement our building bye-laws,” Syiem said.
He also said that there is a need to have clarity on who would have the authority to issue building permission in tribal areas, whether it will be the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority, KHADC or Syiem of Mylliem.
Participating in the debate, Congress MDC from Mylliem, Ronnie V Lyngdoh, questioned if the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited or the PHE department would accept the occupancy certificate issued by the Council for power supply and/or water connection.
“The fact is that people are still confused who is the authority to issue building permission in the areas falling under the KHADC,” the Congress MDC added.