Odisha AG calls for review of irregular building plan approvals

AG conducting performance audit on 'Development and allotment of land/buildings for residential use by BDA

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Unauthorized construction of residential apartments and commercial complexes in Odisha has come under audit scanner of the Accountant General (Odisha).

The AG has asked the state housing & urban development department to review all irregular building plan approvals or buildings constructed in deviation from approved building plans.

"Action taken for demolition of unauthorized and deviated constructions within a fixed time frame should be made public for the sake of transparency and also for community to cooperate with the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) in this endeavour, Even the courts of law may appreciate the transparency, equity and fairness in this effort. All cases of irregular/illegal use of land/houses may be reviewed and resumed for appropriate uses as per approved conditions”, Amar Patnaik, AG (general and social sector) wrote to Injeti Srinivas, principal secretary (housing & urban development), Odisha.

The AG is conducting a performance audit on 'Development and allotment of land/buildings for residential use by BDA. The report covers the period 2007-12 in case of approval of building plans for construction of new buildings and 2002-12 for allotment and sale of land/houses.

The AG suggested strengthening the enforcement wing of BDA to detect unauthorized or deviated constructions made in departure from the approved plans. He also stressed on execution of demolition orders passed by the BDA in an unbiased and non-discriminatory manner.
 
This apart, the office of the AG has pointed out that all the cases of undue benefit extended under the BDA scheme 'Regularisation of unauthorised/deviated constructions through compounding (ROUDCTC)' including the cases not covered under the audit may be reviewed and dues recovered.

"Auction may be made the guiding principle for allotment of land/assets with exceptions to take care of public utilities or for public purposes or for socially and economically backward classes of people which however needs to be clearly defined and specified. The department may review all encroachment cases of government/BDA land and take steps for their immediate eviction”, the letter stated.

Recently, former minister for housing & urban development Raghunath Mohanty had informed the state assembly that the government has ordered to demolish 139 apartments in the city for obstructing drainage facility and for illegal construction.

Apart from illegally constructed houses, the state government has identified 530 projects which have been violating rules formulated by BDA.