KOCHI: Irked by the State Government's alleged move to curtail the powers delegated to the civic bodies, Kochi Corporation is spearheading a protest by city corporations against the Government.

It is the State Government's decision to take back the power of civic bodies to permit zonal exemptions that has provoked the Kochi Corporation. By the powers delegated to the civic bodies by the district collectors, the civic bodies can permit exemptions in the zones in their respective areas. The Greater Cochin Development Authority had determined the zones in Kochi nearly two decades ago.

The Town Planning Standing Committee of the Kochi Corporation will convene a meeting of the town planning standing committee chairpersons and town planning officers of all the five municipal corporations against the Government move. The meeting will chart out steps to approach the State Government and appeal against the decision. The meeting will also pass a resolution to this effect, said E.M. Sunilkumar, Town Planning Standing Committee chairman of the Kochi Corporation.

The Corporation authorities fear that the Government act might stall development activities in cities like Kochi, where construction works are going on in large-scale. This will also cause hardship to residents, Mr. Sunilkumar said.

The Greater Cochin Development Authority had prepared a development plan for the area coming under it and divided it into various zones, namely industrial, agricultural and residential zones.

By the plan, Edapally is an industrial zone whereas the areas on both sides of the National Highway-47 are agricultural zone, he pointed.

Even while the zonal divisions were in force a hospital and a medical college were permitted in Edapally. If the zonal regulations were observed strictly, these institutions could not be permitted there. It was also the case with the Vennala area, which was classified as an agricultural zone. If exemptions are not granted, no house or any other form of construction will be possible in the area, he said.

If the power to grant exemption is not reinstated, each application for zonal exemption will have to be submitted to the Chief Town Planner at Thiruvananthapuram, which may cause hardship to the residents of the city, he said.

Earlier the State Government, through an executive order, had cancelled the powers of the road development committees to grand exemption in building rules to those who surrender land for road development projects. The Corporation had made full use of this provision for obtaining land for the development of Sahodaran Ayyappan Road.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail