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Hans India
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
New home construction crisis in Karnataka
Bengaluru: A recent Supreme Court ruling prohibiting the provision of electricity, water, and sewerage connections to buildings lacking Completion and Occupancy Certificates (CC & OC) has created a major crisis for new home construction across Karnataka, particularly in urban areas like Bengaluru. The decision has left over 3 lakh building owners in limbo, many of whom are either halfway through construction or preparing to begin. The ruling applies to all new buildings and halts utility services unless both certificates are secured — a situation that has now put government departments under pressure to respond quickly. While existing local municipal laws require CC and OC for final approval, the Electricity Act of 2003 does not mandate these certificates as prerequisites for connection. This legal contradiction has prompted concerns that even sheds, small homes, and village structures might be denied essential services due to technicalities. High Court advocate Sridhar Prabhu, who has closely studied the issue, has written to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Law Minister, suggesting that the government issue a revised clarification — allowing utility connections first, with CC/OC to follow. He noted that the Supreme Court's directive, issued on December 12, 2024, has been in effect for over six months, but the state has failed to respond with actionable solutions. He warns that failure to amend state and municipal laws (BBMP, KMC, BESCOM) could deprive thousands of citizens of basic amenities, despite investing heavily in legal construction. Prabhu recommends that the government urgently clarify via a simplified order that utility services can be granted prior to the issuance of CC/OC — and that local bodies can take action later if these certificates are not secured. 'How can a structure without electricity, water, or sanitation be certified as livable?' he questioned, urging the state to draft legislative amendments to protect the rights of genuine homeowners while remaining within the framework of the Supreme Court's ruling. If not resolved immediately, this legal contradiction could halt real estate and housing development across the state — with no clear workaround in sight.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
KMC Council passes Rs55b budget with majority
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Council approved a budget of Rs55.28 billion for the fiscal year 2025-26, by a majority vote, during a session chaired by Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab. Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad and Municipal Commissioner Afzal Zaidi were also in attendance, along with other notable figures. For the first time in KMC's history, all council members were given the opportunity to participate in discussions and offer suggestions before the budget was passed. Wahab stated that the new budget will open fresh avenues for the city's development and ensure equal treatment for all union committees. He reassured that the promises made to the people of Karachi would be fulfilled, emphasising that development funds had been allocated fairly across all areas. The mayor acknowledged input from both the treasury and opposition benches, noting that useful proposals had been presented for the improvement of the city's development projects. He also expressed hope that all elected representatives would support public welfare initiatives through mutual consultation. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Leader Karamullah Waqasi appreciated the manner in which the budget was presented, allowing every member to express their views. He noted that development work was underway across 246 union committees, with 71% of the planned work completed. Further, Waqasi urged accountability in case of any corruption, and clarified that the Rs3 billion allocated for the K-IV water project had been provided by the federal government, not the city administration. Separately, Council member Najmi Alam highlighted equal spending of the CLIP fund across towns, confirming that Rs20 million had been allocated to each union committee. He also pointed out that stormwater drains were clogged with plastic bags, proposing a ban on plastic use. Deputy Parliamentary Leader Juman Darwan, stating that a budget reflects the performance of an institution, criticised the federal government for making promises to Karachi but failing in deliverance. He praised the KMC budget for addressing key urban challenges including sewerage, water supply, roads, and other critical sectors. Following approval of the budget, the city council meeting was adjourned indefinitely.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Why this 19th century house in Kolkata is seeking a heritage tag
By Debasmita Chowdhury The historical residence at 48A Kailash Bose Street, in Kolkata, where the country's first widow remarriage had taken place has applied for a heritage tag. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has been actively involved in the same so that the house can be protected and remembered for the bold social reform movement, led by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, that occurred within its walls over 160 years ago. Vidyasagar's reform efforts led to the British government passing the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act on July 16, 1856. The house belonged to Rajkrishna Bannerjee, a close friend of Vidyasagar, who often invited him to have lunch at his place. And in less than six months, this two-storeyed residence on December 7, 1856, or the 12th of Agrahayan, 1263 (as per the Bengali calendar) witnessed a young widow, marrying again, making the house the first to host the first legally sanctioned widow remarriage. Vidyasagar himself officiated the ceremony. The bride was eleven-year-old Kalimati Devi, the daughter of Brahmanda Mukherjee and Lachmani Devi, hailing from Palashdanga village in Purba Bardhaman and her groom was Shrishchandra Vidyaratna, who was then the Assistant Professor of Sanskrit College, and son of Pandit Ramdhan Tarkabagish. Kalimati had first gotten married at the age of four and became a widow at the age of six. 'We have appealed to the Heritage Conservation Committee nearly a month ago to assign a heritage tag to the house and it will be a moment of sheer joy and pride if it happens. This residence is a testament to such historic significance and social change, and, sadly, it has gone unnoticed for so many years', said Swapan Samaddar, member Mayor-in-Council (MMIC). 'We are still waiting for the final verdict. The process is still on since a lot of factors are involved – like which Grade of Heritage status will be given,' he added. The old house today, sits mostly empty and quiet, with plants growing wild around it and metal shutters covering the ground floor. This Bengali-style building with its wooden windows and tin roof, looks worn out, with its yellow walls peeling and the iron railings turning rusty. With no permanent residents, it is being taken care of by a team comprising a maid, a priest, and a security guard. The owner of the house resides outside Kolkata and pays a visit once or twice a year. The house has been partitioned into three distinct parts. Since 1983, the rear portion—painted white with its entrance on Jadunath Sen Lane—has been owned by Sarba Bharatiya Sangeet-O-Sanskriti Parishad. The front section is further divided into two parts: the right portion (48A), painted yellow, remains under the ownership of Raj Krishna Bannerjee's descendants, while the left section (48B) has gotten new owners sometime in the past decade. 'I have been working here for quite some time now. The owner stays outside Kolkata. But it feels good to see that the KMC is taking steps to give tribute to this house by giving it the status of a heritage site,' said the security guard of the house. 'There have been a lot of people who have come to visit this residence over the last ten years, including Britishers who have come to click photographs. When the Mistress of the house was alive, there were meetings… Their son visits rarely for a short period', said Ranjit Sadukhan, a grocery store owner in the vicinity. Amarendra Nath Paul, a local resident of over 35 years said, 'This place holds a lot of historical significance, and it deserves to get an honour,' he said. (Debasmita Chowdhury is an intern at the Kolkata office of The Indian Express.) Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
HC: Illegal constructions warrant strict penalty
1 2 Kolkata: Upholding the trial court's conviction of a man, Netai Sil, who built an illegal structure in Beleghata despite a KMC stop-work notice, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday observed that unauthorised constructions warranted a strict penalty. Anyone responsible for unauthorised constructions was liable to be convicted, the court said. Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta held that if a person was found responsible for constructing unauthorised structures that endangered or were likely to endanger life or property, it was punishable with up to five-year imprisonment and up to Rs 50,000 fine. "The trial court's sentence is appropriate. Unauthorised construction without a sanctioned plan warrants a strict penalty, and an accused is liable to be convicted," Justice Gupta held. Sil is the owner/occupier of the illegal construction. By an order of 2016, the sessions judge upheld his conviction in the 2014 case under section 401A of the KMC Act. Sil was convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000. The construction was unauthorised and without any sanctioned plan. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The judge noted that Sil could not give a valid explanation or show any evidence to establish it was authorised. He could not prove the construction was stable.
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
KMC row over Bikramgarh Jheel work
Kolkata: Even as Trinamool Congress councillor Mousumi Das expressed concern over a sudden halt in the work to revival of Bikramgarh Jheel at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation House on Wednesday, the mayor-in-council member overseeing the KMC environment department, Swapan Samaddar, assured her that the work was on. He stated that the civic body would spend the entire amount (Rs 2.27 crore) on dredging and beautification of the jheel. According to Samaddar, the jheel will be dredged, beautified and protected from all sides. "We have taken up the revival of the lake. The work is on track, although the pace of the work was slowed down for some obvious reasons," the MMiC said. Residents near Jadavpur's Bikramgarh have urgently requested the state govt and the KMC bosses to protect Bikramgarh Jheel, south Kolkata's second-largest water body after Rabindra Sarobar, before its condition deteriorates further. The jheel is almost entirely obscured by water hyacinth, with only a tiny section visible at the south-western edge. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata
