Chandigarh Housing Board to again seek green nod for housing scheme

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 26

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) will again take up the issue of getting environmental clearance for its self-financing general housing scheme with the Ministry of Environment and Forest.

Not in eco zone

We will again take up the issue with the Forest Ministry as area does not fall under the eco-sensitive zone of Sukhna sanctuary. — Yashpal Garg, CHB Chief Executive Officer

The National Board for Wildlife (NBW) recently turned down the CHB’s request for grant of approval to the project, on the plea that the area fell under the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary and no construction could be carried out there.

The CHB project has been stuck for the past two years due to the pandemic. Last month, the administration had sent the file to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for final approval, which has now been rejected.

CHB Chief Executive Officer Yashpal Garg said they were yet to receive an official reply from the ministry, but had learnt the wildlife board had turned it down. “We will again take up the issue with the ministry as the area does not fall under the eco-sensitive zone of Sukhna sanctuary,” he said. The project falls beyond 1.25 km of the ESZ, he added. As per the Supreme Court, no permanent structure can be constructed for whatever purpose within the ECZ.

Up to 0.5 km in ESZ vicinity, no commercial construction of any kind is allowed. From 0.5 km to 1.25 km, construction of low-density and low-rise building up to 15 feet is allowed, while beyond 1.25 km, construction of new buildings including houses are allowed.

The scheme was approved by the CHB board of directors in December 2020. Although the exact rates of flats are yet to be decided, the tentative cost of units ranges between Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 2.75 crore. The project land is part of 123 acres that the CHB got back from Parsvnath Developers after a long-drawn legal battle.

The CHB plans to construct 728 flats in three categories in seven-storey towers on IT Park plots 1 and 2, spread over 16.6 acres, for general public.

The towers will have two basements with a provision for parking of two cars for each flat in addition to surface parking for visitors. The scheme will have 28 four-bedroom flats, 448 three-bedroom and 252 two-bedroom units.

A four-bedroom flat is likely to cost nearly Rs 2.75 crore, a three-bedroom Rs 1.90 crore and a two-bedroom unit Rs 1.30 crore. The CHB is also planning to construct flats for the governments of Punjab and Haryana for their MLAs and officers.

Self-financing scheme

• In Dec 2020, CHB board of directors approved project on part of 123 acres freed up from Parsvnath
• 728 units are to come up in seven-storey towers in three categories on 16.6 acres for general public
• Tentative cost is Rs 2.75 cr for four-bedroom, Rs 1.90 cr for 3-bedroom and Rs 1.30 cr for two-bedroom unit

What ESZ norms say

Area in vicinity Activity allowed

Up to 0.5 km No commercial activity

0.5 km to 1.25 km Low-density construction

Beyond 1.25 km New buildings, including houses

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