Recovery of Building permission Fee gone low under his tenure: Data shows
Srinagar 08 Dec: Joint Commissioner Planning SMC , who took charge of the position in February 2020, has been heavily criticized by people who were denied building permissions even though, had all the legal formalities done and produced in front of him.
Zameer Ahmed (care of Mohammad Amin Mir) who allegedly was denied construction permission over lame excuses by JCP, said, “I had applied for the construction permission (in the name of Mohammad Amin Mir) of a guest house on 13 December 2018 to then JCP R.K Tuttoo, who guided me towards all the legal formalities that were required. But in the process R&B department had some issues that time and the permission was delayed, which was quite understood.”
He said, “At first the clerks in SMC played around with my file but eventually after following it up in person, it got forwarded to the concerned authority. Afterwards when I visited the department, I was told that R K Tuttoo had retired and my file has been forwarded to now JCP.”
Further said, “It had already been around 1 and a half year since I had put my file in the department, and when I met JCP, who after going through my documents told me to do all the formalities (drawings, NOCs, etc.) for the permission–which I had already done—again.”
He questioned, ”Is it legal for a public servant do demand that? Since I had already performed all the legal and necessary formalities. JCP is not capable to do what he is supposed to”
Adding that my construction permissions had no faults at all and I had to quit my job just to follow up my file because the department is not doing their job.
He further said, “I submitted a new drawing as per asked by the JCP but again he refused; stating that the drawing doesn’t show certain details (like a tree and grass) which were not even a part of the plans of my construction”.
He said that such illogical demands from a government officials are not only lame but also are making a common citizen like me suffer a lot.
Another applicant, Nisar Ahmed said, “I had applied for the construction permission in 2017, we had filed up all the documents and NOCs necessary but now recently when we went to the JCP’s office where he told us to bring the fresh documents and NOC’s in order to get the construction permission.”
Applicant added,” We have gone to his office in person many times but he gives excuses like his mood is not good visit me some other day, then the other day he says to visit the office next week. He has repeatedly ignored us and then eventually said I won’t do it.”
“Eventually he told us to bring new documents for the construction permission and also NOCs from the neighbor’s around the proposed place of the construction” person said.
He asked, “Am I really supposed to get NOCs from the people living around aswell? Even though I have no deviation”.
As per the records, the SMC revenue through Building Permission Fee was Rs. 41,221,836 for the year of 2016-17, Rs. 50,946,043 for the year of 2017-18, Rs. 99,145,270 for the year 2018-19, Rs. 149,871,671 for the year 2019-20 but for the year 2020-2021 (up to September) is only 9,714,722, which clearly indicates the drastic decrease.
An official (doesn’t wish to disclose name) of SMC said that they do not understand the reason for delaying the permission files of a common citizen to construct a house or any other building, even though they attach/provide all the necessary details (Drawings, NOCs, etc.) with it.
Official added that the SMC, especially the JCP is here to serve the people at the earliest and not to delay and make anyone suffer for no reason at all.
He told the reporter, “Due to JCP’s unsound demands and arguments towards the already pending permission files in the department are not only making the citizens of the city suffer but also the ground enforcement wings and ward officers are facing a lot of difficulty in performing their job”.
After repeated attempts were made to contact JCP, however, he didn’t respond to the calls.
