Centre seeks court’s help in ensuring buildings’ safety
The Centre on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to direct the States to implement the National Building Code (NBC) regulations for ensuring structural safety of high-rise buildings to minimise human loss during disasters such as earthquakes.
In a counter-affidavit to a PIL filed by a non-Government organisation, the Union Government said it has asked the Finance Ministry to “examine and offer” its views on the possibility of making the NBC code mandatory for all buildings constructed in the country through loans from financial institutions.
The Centre’s stance assumes significance as at present regulations on building bye-laws are vested with local authorities and the NBC norms do not have a force of statutory law.
Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam, who appeared for the Centre, sought the apex court’s direction to the states for implementing the code on the grounds that if Centre tries to persuade the states, it would be a long drawn process. Though Mr. Subramaniam inferred that the NBC was not a statutory provision, counsel Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the code had the force of a legislation, as it was framed as per the norms prepared by the Bureau of Indian Standards, which is a statutory body. – PTI
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