Punjab govt to come up with one-time policy for regularisation

The Punjab government is planning to come up with a one-time policy for regularisation of buildings, which came up after violating building bye-laws, State Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said today.
"We are contemplating a one-time policy on regularisation of structures on as it where is basis with a directive that in future the building laws will be strictly implemented," he said while addressing the media.
Under this policy, a one-time relaxation to the violators of the building bye-laws will be given so as to enable them to go in for regularisation of their structures, he said.
Sidhu said if violation is found in future, then an officer in whose jurisdiction the failure to comply with law is found, will be proceeded against very strictly which could lead to his dismissal or suspension.

Moreover, persons who violate building bye-laws, will also be dealt with very strictly, the minister said.
"A cabinet note is being prepared on this issue which will be taken to the cabinet for approval," he said.

Holding the 10-year-old regime of the previous SAD-BJP government responsible for the problem of illegal buildings and violation of building bye-laws, Sidhu said the Amarinder Singh-led government will come out with solutions for the problems being faced by residents.
About 300 complaints from Patiala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Bathinda have been received in connection with the violation of building bye-laws.
"The complaints pertain to structures built up without approving maps and commercial buildings in residential areas," said K K Yadav Director, Local Bodies.

"In Ludhiana alone, 85 complaints of illegal commercial buildings have been received," Sidhu said.
"In over 60 per cent cases, people have got approved maps for parking in their basements but actually they were running offices. Their vehicles were parked outside, leading to traffic chaos on the roads," he pointed out with one such violation.
"It is a major cause of concern which is not only coming to us but is going to courts," he said.
"Nobody has taken note of what has happened in the last 10 years and if they would have taken note of this, they would have prevented it," Sidhu said while blaming the previous SAD-BJP government.

He said violators will be asked to go for one-time settlement and they should come out without fear and admit their violations. "If the violations are not blatant, then a lenient view can be taken," he said.
When asked if any political person is found violating the law, Sidhu said nobody is above the law.
"Law does not see whether a person is a political or an ordinary man when encroachment is found. Nobody is above the law," he said.
Sidhu said a vision of the local bodies department will be rolled out in the next 10 days and a cultural policy will come out next month.