Daijiwold News Network - Mangalore (MB) - Pics Dayanand Kukkaje
Mangalore, Apr 30: Concerned citizens of Mangalore, gathered at Mangalore City Corporation on April 28 at 2-30 pm in a silent protest demonstration to express their anguish at the blatant inaction of civic authorities on illegal high rise building activity in Mangalore.
Mangalore being an old town is known for its narrow roads and lanes. Members of the Citizens Forum have been concerned by high-rise buildings being constructed over restricted spaces and narrow lanes with utter disregard to any zoning criteria, in brazen violation of building by-laws and the National Building Code (NBC) norms, particularly relating to safety and fire risks and above all, despite refusal of the grant of NOC by the Fire Department.
The builders of high-rises in Mangalore have been insisting that these rules have been suddenly thrust on them. However these norms have been in existence here since 1992, but had not been enforced locally inspite of repeated directives and orders over the years from the state authorities.
Repeated demands by the Forum to the Commissioner, MCC and other higher authorities for immediate stringent action against the violators of building norms received no response. This was in spite of the then CM Dharam Singh on November 8, 2005, and a high-level meeting at Vidhana Soudha on December 19 2005 chaired by the chief secretary, government of Karnataka, upholding their views that Mangalore cannot be exempted from application of the National Building Code.
Since the Urban Development Department, Bangalore did not follow up the decisions and proceedings of the above meeting with a Government Order to ensure compliance in Mangalore with the NBC and Fire Dept. norms, the Citizens Forum filed a PIL in the High Court of Karnataka at Bangalore to take this matter to its logical end.
The Builders Association of Mangalore has left no stone unturned to reverse the decisions of the 19.12.2005 meeting. Their successive representations at various levels in the state capital, succeeded in the state administration reopening a case that had been decided upon. At 11 am of 16th March 2006, another high powered meeting on the issue of High rise Buildings in Mangalore was held under pressure from the Builders Association and their supporters, to find a solution to their “problems”.
The process for a one-time relaxation of norms and a one-time clearance of all pending high-rise applications in the MCC was supported by powerful people, but finally came to a grinding halt at the meeting in the Chief Secretary’s chamber on 3rd April 2006, when the decisions taken at the 19.12.2005 meeting were reiterated and directions were given to the Commissioner, MCC to take immediate action against buildings in violation of the existing laws. If the Commissioner failed to act, the Deputy Commissioner, DK District was empowered to take necessary action. Even over 25 days later, the Commissioner, MCC shows no inclination to do his duty as per law or follow the orders of his superiors.
This smacks of the same despicable attitude that allowed for the illegal destruction of a sizeable portion of Light House Hill, compromising the safety of lives, property and the very heritage of Mangalore. From beginning December 2005 till end February 2006, the excavation continued in full public view without a licence. The concerned ATPO, the TPO and the Commissioner fumbled while Light House Hill crumbled! And on March 6th 2006 the MCC Commissioner rewarded the criminal offenders for their misdeeds with a building licence!
The Citizens of Mangalore refuse to accept this callous attitude of public servants that disregards the safety and interest of the citizens of Mangalore to favour powerful vested interest lobbies. The Citizens Forum is determined to do whatever it takes to bring good governance to Mangalore and a climate of accountability and concern on behalf of its citizens amongst those in whom power is vested and authority given.
The High Court of Karnataka has passed an interim order on April 18, 2006 directing the Commissioner MCC, and other authorities not to grant any building licenses in violation of the rules. Meanwhile some unscrupulous builders persist with their building plans which flout the norms and are intent on using innocent investors as a shield for their illegal activities which will inevitably face the consequences of legal procedure.
The Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development, formalized as a voluntary citizen action group in August 2005 under the NGO Forum, evolved out of the struggles of the residents of Lobo Lane and Mercara Hill Road who felt compelled to respond to the degradation and over-congestion of their living environment by the indiscriminate construction of high rises that were coming in their narrow lanes. The Citizens Forum seeks to facilitate and moderate the changes in and around Mangalore through responsible intervention by informed public participation, towards a well planned and developed city.
While the Citizens Forum will continue with its vigilance on the issue, it also cautions prospective investors in high rise apartments, in their own interest, to ensure that the builder and building they chose have adhered to all the prescribed legal requirements governing high rise buildings.