The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has put a stay on the government’s city development plan to give relief in the rules of building construction in Shimla city and planning area of Himachal Pradesh. The government, which is preparing to implement the plan just before the municipal elections, has got a setback. Restrictions on building construction will continue in the state capital Shimla as per the orders of the NGT passed in the year 2017. While hearing the petition of Yogendra Mohan Sen Gupta, resident of Shimla, the NGT has given strict guidelines to the government in this regard. The Chief Secretary has been asked to strictly implement this order. In 2017, the NGT had banned the construction of buildings in the core and green areas of the city.
In the non-core area, only two and a half storey building was allowed to be constructed. On the other hand, the government had prepared a new development plan from the TCP department to give relief from these restrictions. In this, there was a provision to remove restrictions in the core and green areas of the city. It was also decided to remove the condition of construction of two and a half storey building in the planning area. This proposal was also approved by the cabinet. The Law Department was about to issue its notification that the NGT had already stayed the same. Along with this, the orders issued in the year 2017 have been asked to strictly implement. It is also remarked that the State Government has tried to set aside the orders of the Tribunal. However, after two months, the matter can be heard in the NGT.
