Frame Building Bylaws in 30 Days: Government to District Councils

A REPORTER

SHILLONG: Urban Affairs Minister Hamlet Dohling has said that the government will revoke the notification issued on January 13, 1989 after all the three Autonomous District Council (ADCs) in Meghalaya have finished drafting their own building bylaws and present it to the government for review. He also informed that the government has issued a one-month timeframe to all the ADCs to complete their draft building by-laws.

Speaking to media persons at his office chamber, Dohling said, “If the notification is withdrawn the building by-laws will function only in municipal areas hence, for now, this notification has not been withdrawn until another body is there to regulate the build by-laws in schedule areas.”

He informed that earlier in a meeting between the department and the three CEMs of JHADC, KHADC and GHADC including leaders of the Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep the department had decided that it will withdraw the notification issued on January 13, 1989. He said the previous government had withdrawn the notification, however, a PIL was filed in court and a stay order was issued and this is because there is no alternative body to implement the building by-laws in scheduled areas.

“Hence we have tasked all the Autonomous District Council (ADCs) in the State to come up with a uniform building by-laws and then present it to the State government for review,” he said.

Dohling said that the KHADC has already prepared a draft building by-law, but the JHADC and the GHADC need to prepare their draft building by-laws and they should be uniform.

“After the three ADCs present a uniform by-laws to the government the department will examine the building by-law of the ADCs and after receiving a green signal the notification will be withdrawn and the district councils in the State will take over the charge concerning building permission in scheduled areas,” he said.