West Bengal: No CC for New Town buildings left uncovered during construction

KOLKATA: Buildings coming up in New Town may not get completion certificate (CC) if the structures are not covered in cloth, jute or any other dust-preventive material during construction. The contractors concerned may also be issued stop-construction notices if they fail to adhere to the instructions. In a bid to arrest the spread of dust and fall of rubble on the road, the New Town Kolkata Development Authority has decided to include such a clause in its building plan sanction rules and put up the notification on its website soon.

During a board meeting of the NKDA on January 27, a special resolution was adopted to address the issue, recognising the fact that the construction dust and debris were definitely big pollutants that affected the people living in the neighbourhood. So, an NKDA official said, the clause for putting up a dust-protective cover would be introduced in the building-plan sanction permit. “The construction area or buildings should be wrapped by cloth or jute or other dust protected material to act as dust barriers. Actions as appropriate for reduction of dust and elimination of possibility of debris or dust outside own property shall also be taken,” it would read.

This step was necessary. New Town has seen— and will go on seeing—a fair bit of construction activity. Dust from these sites, besides being a short-term nuisance, contribute majorly to long-term air-pollution problems.

-TimesView

“First, showcause notices will be sent to the plot owners who fail to follow the rules. If they refuse to toe the line even after that, a stop-construction notice may be slapped and their completion certificate may also be barred,” the NKDA official said. “Steps have to be taken to minimise air and noise pollution that comes with rapid urbanization.”

Welcoming the move, structural architecture consutant Anjan Kumar Dutta said, “There is a provision of a fine of Rs 50,000 for piling construction materials on the road outside a plot. Abroad, construction agencies water the under-construction structures to prevent dust from rising. The step that the NKDA authorities are taking is good.” Echoing him, Nandu Belani, president of Credai Bengal, said, “Construction sites should be properly covered to prevent pollution. Most real estate developers do follow the rule and take measures to minimise dust pollution from construction sites.”

Residents of the township are also happy with the decision. “It’s great NKDA is looking into the matter. Dust and noise pollution from construction sites have been a constant worry and the move would hopefully help,” said Kaustav Dey, a resident of Action Area 1B.