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Ambika Sharma
Tribune News Service
Solan, March 18
Taking stern view of the opening of liquor vends in unauthorised buildings in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) Industrial Area, officials of the BBN Development Authority have directed all wine vendors to seek an NOC before operating their vends.
Additional Chief Executive Officer, BBN Development Authority, Rajiv Kumar, said it had come to their notice that the Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Baddi, was granting permission to wine vendors to operate from structures constructed without their prior approval. Since this was in contravention of Section 39 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1977, the AETC has been directed to ask all wine vendors to seek NOC from the BBNDA, failing which strict action will be initiated against them.
The AETC has also been directed to supply a list of wine shops running in the BBN area within two days though initial estimates place such shops at 65.
Directions have also been issued to Executive Engineers of HP State Electricity Board Limited and the IPH Department for disconnecting the power and water connections to such temporary structures where liquor shops are operational. “ Within the planning area, no power and water connections can be issued unless an NOC has been sought from the Director or the Special Area Development Authority,” added Additional CEO Rajiv Kumar.
Unauthorised constructions appear to have become a norm in this industrial belt as 65 such structures have already been identified by the BBNDA officials. With the owners not caring much about the norms and the authorities too turning a blind eye, this is perhaps the first time that such an action has been initiated by the BBNDA to discipline the offenders. It remains to be seen how much the BBNDA officials will manage to discipline the offenders who have been operating unhindered all this while.
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