From the Editor’s Desk

Empowering Urban Local Bodies

It is difficult to gauge whether empowering twenty urban local bodies would render Town and Country Planning Department as redundant or is a step towards evolving new system for urbanisation. Executive officers in municipal councils and nagar panchayat secretary would approve building plans for construction. Ostensibly this simplification would benefit people but what would happen to town and country planning norms. Nearly four decades old law has now become a laughing stock as almost every government has hurt the relevance of this department. As a result, the state is witnessing a deplorable state of urbanisation. Towns are witnessing haphazard urbanisation as pointed out by Green Tribunal’s decisions. Its hard decisions have pointed out shortcomings in development plan in towns like Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala-McLeodganj, Kasauli and Naina Devi. Taking cognizance of Dharamshala people’s demand will underline the importance of striking a balance between construction and development. The government, town and country norms and residents are unable to stop construction of a building in playground by the police department. Many such departmental buildings constructed without plan and permission are mocking at town and country planning fabric. We can make town and country planning department a toothless tiger but cannot improve future by removing planning compulsions. This decision will raise eyebrows with regard to address of urbanisation process. Ironically Himachalis press politicians to alter laws rather than following them in the context of urbanisation. The system has to be changed if problems of densely populated BBN area are to be addressed. Transferring two officers rather than pinpointing the problem is not a solution when Chief Minister and Governor’s cavalcades were struck in the BBN area. Why couldn’t BBN and Parwanoo developed on the pattern of Mohali and Panchkula around Chandigarh? What is the development model for hills as BBN like situation is prevalent in almost every developing town? This hilly state needs to march ahead by bringing entire Himachal under the ambit of town and country planning law to face collective challenges of environment, tourism and urbanisation. All norms will be thrown to winds if granting construction approval is exhibited like a political facility.

Thought of the Week

Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way.

  -Swami Vivekananda

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