ITANAGAR, May 15: Towns across Arunachal Pradesh located in high risk earthquake zone, according to experts are flouting building norms which can bring down structures like a pack of cards. A cursory glance at the twin capital towns of Itanagar-Naharlagun boasts of buildings seven-storey high where height is restricted to G+3 ( Ground and three floors). While the landscape is replete with haphazard constructions overlooking terrain and waterways, policy makers seem clueless about where to begin and the lack of coordination between allied departments is encouraging more chaos.

‘The state capital is today facing sharp exposure to any natural calamities due to uncontrolled urbanization and unplanned infrastructure development,’ says Director, Town Planning, Amoe Morang adding that ‘Haphazard development of capital complex is posing great risk due to the seismic vulnerability of the region.’

The Arunachal Building Bylaws were framed in year 2010 but non implementation and regulation of the laid down norms in the city has jeopardized thousands of lives and properties.

‘Two years back considering the challenges, Town Planning department had submitted a master plan/concept for urban settlement plan for Itanagar to the previous state government for approval but till date no follow through has taken place,’ Morang discloses.

Recalling the devastation caused by the massive earthquake of 1950, Morang stresses on a coordinated policy which contains laws and regulations and its implementation to provide organizational and technical guidelines for the incorporation of disaster risk reduction strategy in capital complex terming it as ‘need of the hour’.

Following chief minister Kalikho Pul’s call for regulation of building bye laws in the capital, the department is working on a ‘ten core bye-laws’ and a high level committee has been constituted for the same.

The problem is multi-pronged. Chaotic land allotment, absence of uniform concept, rules and coordination among academics and practitioners and undue pressure from politicians are the major bottlenecks in streamlining the construction scene.

Moreover, provisions under Forest Right Act for Scheduled Tribe, gives the right to claim land, due to which there are many complications in land allotment.

‘Government allots land  on lease for a term of 30 years but here in the capital complex circumstances are different as people are claiming the land as their own citing that they had settled or inhabited the land for more than 15 years,’ laments  Deputy Commissioner capital complex Sandeep Kumar Singh.‘Amending the current price of 5 rupees per square meter is crucial as it is too low as compared to other states,’ he says.

Few years back there was a District land advisory board who dealt with the matter and later it was dissolved due to some administrative reason, he said adding that such committee is considered necessary.

The DC further claims that apart from land allotment process, his office has no involvement or right to assume the power or interfere in town planning process but admitted the planning department is unable to work effectively because it has no magisterial capacity and manpower crunch.

‘However, implementation and enforcement of building law is bequeath upon director planning,’ Singh adds.Political will and lack of awareness is the crux of the matter, he further says adding that the present government is interested in the matter but there are many factors that needs to be addressed first.

Underscoring the recent earthquake as learning lesson for us, he informed that accordingly within 10 days the administration had decided to present a proposal to state government involving stake holders to regulate building construction and bring transparency in land allotment in order to protect the health, safety & welfare of the general public.

While agreeing that the capital needs urgent implementation of building bye laws, Additional District Magistrate cum Chief Estate Officer, Talo  Potom said ‘Building bye laws is needed for better inner-city development and to  motivate and encourage dwellers to construct multi-storey buildings and other infrastructures within the norms.’

Admitting to administrative issues which hinders carrying out work independently, Potom however said that the town planning department  has been conferred with independent authority to tackle violations of building norms under the building by laws.

‘When a builder is flouting norms, the TP department should lodge a complaint to first class magistrate at Yupia,’ he said disclosing that so far no case of violation has been registered.

Citing that the government has provided sufficient manpower to the TP department, Potom however refuted the idea of ‘Master plan’ saying master plan is always prepared before any structure comes up and Itanagar is already damaged in terms of planning front.

An earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter Scale shook a major part of northeast India including Arunachal on April 13 last causing wide spread panic. Imagine if a higher intensity quake strikes again, are we prepared for such an eventuality.