IT park projects: Chandigarh Housing Board to approach wildlife board for nod

Tribune News Service

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, November 21

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) will again request the National Board for Wildlife (NBW) to re-consider its decision not to grant clearance to its housing schemes at the IT Park.

Away from restricted eco zone

• CHB official claims project falls beyond restricted 1.25 km of eco-sensitive zone of the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary
• Plot Nos. 1 & 2 project site at IT Park is 1.56 km from the sanctuary and Plot No. 7 site is 1.52 km away
• CHB plans to raise seven-storey buildings, whereas up to 11-storey towers are coming up in vicinity in Panchkula, he adds

The NBW had recently rejected the CHB’s proposal to grant approval to its proposed two projects — General Housing Scheme at plot No. 1 and 2 and Government Housing Scheme at plot No. 7 — at the IT Park.

Turning down the proposal, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated after discussion, the standing committee of the NBW observed the development of high-rise buildings near the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary would lead to disturbance in the migratory paths of the birds.

“The waste generated along with the noise and air pollution arising as a result of allied activities in these townships will have deleterious effect on the sanctuary and birds,” stated the ministry, adding the standing committee therefore decided to reject the proposal.

A senior CHB official said they had received the NBW decision a few days ago. “We will examine it and request the board to re-consider its decision,” he added.

As per the Supreme Court, no permanent structure can be constructed for whatever purpose within the eco-sensitive zone of the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. “The area does not fall under the eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) of the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary,” he said. The project falls beyond 1.25 km of the ESZ, he added. The official said the Plot Nos. 1 & 2 project site is 1.56 km from the sanctuary and the Plot No. 7 site is 1.52 km away. He said the CHB was to construct only seven-storey buildings, whereas up to 11-storey towers were coming up in the vicinity of the sanctuary in Panchkula.

Up to 0.5 km from ESZ, no commercial construction 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, is 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 plot Nos. 1 and 2, spread over 16.6 acres, for general public. Besides, it is planning to construct flats for the governments of Punjab and Haryana for their MLAs and officers on plot No. 7.

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