Uttarakhand: Hundreds of buildings washed away

DEHRADUN: More than 300 multi-storey buildings, hotels, shops and other business establishments, built on ecologically-sensitive areas close to Ganga and its tributaries like Alaknanda,madakini Bhagirathi, kali Ganga and Gauri Ganga, which were swept away or were extensively damaged due to flash floods, were illegally constructed.

"Documentary evidence with the department of town planning indicates that most of these structures, including 60  hotles in Chamoli and Rudrapryag, were built in blatant violation of norms laid down by the department," said a senior Uttarakhand government official.

  A survey by a 10-member team of officials in the town planning department a few years ago revealed most of these structures were built before Uttarakhand was carved out in 2000. Owners of these hotels and houses did not bother to obtain permission from competent authorities like district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates before building these structures in the ecologically-sensitive areas close to rivers.

"These buildings can't be built on government land like forest and revenue land, but even if some people have built these structures on private land, they can do so only after permission from authorities," said an expert with the government.

A source in the town planning department said most of these structures were built without adhering to the Regulation of Building Construction Act and were came up without adherence to the master plan of the town planning department. Under this master plan, no structures including hotels, shops, business establishments and houses are to be built in ecologically-sensitive areas close to rivers known as flood plains.

"As most of these structures were built illegally at the cost of inviting major calamity resulting in massive loss of lives and properties, their owners are bound to face the consequences," said Nainital-based environmentalist, Ajay Rawat.

Chief secretary Subhash Kumar said although the government is yet to consider compensation for those who lost their properties in flash floods and landslides in the 13 districts of Garhwal and Kumaon, it will not compensate those whose built illegal properties that got washed away.

"After all, there certain criteria for compensating disasters' victims," said Kumar, adding that the government will conduct a survey after the rescue work to ensure only legitimate victims of the tragedy were compensated.

DMs and chairmen of development authorities in all the 13 districts have begun identifying illegal hotels and buildings close to the Ganga and its tributaries which were ordered to be demolished by a HC directive two months ago.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0zN_fvoTdU