By the Bye-Laws
In a welcoming move, the EDTC has issued a directive, making it mandatory for all -- individuals as well as commercial developers.
- In a welcoming move, the East Dimapur Town Council (EDTC)
has issued a directive, making it mandatory for all -- individuals as well as
commercial developers -- to obtain a construction permit from its office before
commencing construction of buildings, both residential and commercial. Stating
that the order is in “accordance with the regulatory framework governing urban
planning, safety standards, and orderly development within the
EDTC-administered area”, it has warned of imposing penalties and halting construction
activities if the directives are not complied with. While this is a much-needed
move and a measure that should have been taken up long ago, what is to be seen
is its implementation. The fact is that the Nagaland Building Bye-Laws 2012,
which deals with urban planning, has been lying dormant for more than a decade.
These laws, if implemented effectively, will address several safety concerns
and threats faced by the people, as they have set minimum standards for the
construction of buildings (including water closets and septic tanks), earth
cutting, drainage, fire protection, etc. It also has provisions for providing a
barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities in the public buildings.
Besides height restriction, all unsafe buildings should be either restored by
repairing or demolished. Failure to adhere to the building permit can attract
penal action, including demolition at the risk and cost of the owner. However,
these building bye-laws are only on paper.
- Other municipal and town councils across the state should
emulate East Dimapur Town Council in regulating construction activities in
their respective jurisdictions to mitigate possible natural as well as man-made
disasters. The entire Northeast region, including Nagaland, falls under seismic
Zone V, which is the highest-risk zone for earthquakes; it is also prone to
landslides, rockslides and flash floods, but nobody – both government and
public – cares to take preventive measures. Unregulated vertical growth poses a
threat to environmental sustainability besides endangering human lives, but it
continues unabated in Nagaland, particularly in urban areas like Kohima and
Dimapur. We have failed to learn from recent man-made disasters and chose to
heave a sigh of relief when incessant rains do not cause destruction instead of
taking preventive measures. It’s time to take action, starting with strict
implementation of the building bye-laws. The state government and municipal
councils should put their acts together in checking unplanned urbanisation and
penalise those failing to follow the set rules. The general public also should
realise that compromising building safety standards for short-term gains can
prove costly, as it can put the lives of occupants at risk. After all, building
bye-laws are framed to ensure safety.
