Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat told the Town and Country Planning Department to go in for structural audit of multi-storied buildings in the state which were unsafe.

The Governor raised the issue in a meeting of Town and Country Planning and Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma and senior officials last evening on the issue of HP Town and Country Planning Amendment Bill 2016 at Raj Bhawan which is pending Governor’s ascent.

The Bill passed by the state assembly unanimously in the Monsoon session in August this year sought one time regularisation of over 35000 buildings constructed in violation of norms across the state.nbsp;

It was held back by the Governor without any observation after the Himachal High Court had taken a view against the move to regularise unauthorised buildings. Following this the minister and the officials had sought to clarify the issue with him.

Devvrat said keeping in view the fact that Himachal Pradesh was sensitive for earthquakes it should be ensured that there were no illegal constructions in future in the state..nbsp;

He also stressed on the need for strict compliance of the orders passed by the HP High Court from time to time regarding regularization of illegal constructions.

The Governor assured that a decision would soon be made on HP Town and Country Planning Amendment Bill 2016.nbsp;

Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma apprised the Governor that Town and Country Planning department was not flouting the orders of the High Court. lsquo;The High Court had asked for bringing retention policy whereas the department had presented a Bill for regularizing deviations through HP Town and Country Planning Amendment Bill which would be applicable for one year onlyrsquo; he said.

He said this amendment had been brought only after proper perusal by the Law department of the state government on the orders of the Supreme Court on a similar Bill of the Tamil Nadu government and also according to the orders of the High Court.nbsp;ldquo;Such buildings will not be regularized which are structurally unsafe or have been constructed on government or other land. The department will ensure proper structural audit of all the cases coming up for regularization for which the department has already started to register structural engineers and concerned agenciesrdquo; he added.

He also assured the Governor that no illegal constructions would be allowed in future as the department had made provision for online application online tracking and providing no objection certificates for water and electricity connections.