The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has approached the State government to allow the council to enforce building by-laws in rural areas under the council’s jurisdiction.
This was informed by KHADC Executive Member Teibor Pathaw in the House today.
Pathaw said that the KHADC has moved the Urban Affairs Department seeking to expand the jurisdiction of KHADC building permission beyond the master plan area of Shillong agglomeration.
He said that the State government has constituted a committee comprising all three autonomous district councils to see if the authority of the councils can be expanded further.
Pathaw today also informed that a total of 263 building permissions have been issued by the KHADC.
Replying to a query by leader of opposition Titos Chyne, Pathaw also informed that there are 174 pending applications that still need rectification of the drawings as per the building by-laws, including those buildings adjacent to rivers, etc.
Pathaw however said that since the building by-laws of the council were made effective from January 2023, the building constructed before the date do not require building permission from the council but only need to produce a certificate from the respective Dorbar Shnong that such building was constructed before January 2023.
Informing that he had earlier convened a meeting with the local headmen on the implementation of the building by-laws, Pathaw said that the KHADC building authority is headed by the member secretary of the department and assisted by technical engineers and architects including an expert committee for bigger constructions.
On the suggestion of Mylliem MDC Ronnie V. Lyngdoh that permission for building construction near rivers should not be given, Pathaw said that there is also a court ruling in this regard.
To a query by Laban-Mawprem MDC Mitchel Wankhar, Pathaw said that the time frame for issuing the occupancy certificate is 15 days after all the procedures have been completed.
