Bhubaneswar: With several areas of Bhubaneswar getting inundated after heavy showers year after year, BMC (Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation) has tightened housing norms in the city to address the challenge, an official source said Thursday.
BMC Commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange said that no permission will be given to build a house if there is no special place for drains and roads while adding that strict action will be taken against those violating the rules.
BMC has made water harvesting mandatory for houses made in 300 square meter area. Similarly, for an area of 20,000 square meter or more, the house owners should have their own sewage treatment plant, Kulange informed.
Besides, the Commissioner warned that strict action would be taken if the pre-approved plans of houses, apartments, educational institutions, commercial establishments, and industrial establishments are violated within BMC limits.
Kulange advised unruly residents to comply with sanitation norms in the city.
In a unique course of action in this regard, the civic body collected all the waste heaped on road by a shopkeeper in Laxmi Sagar area and dumped it in front of his shop.
“Our major issues are parking, sewage, and liquid waste management. Pre-approved plans for the construction of houses are not being followed properly. There are several cases of parking violations. So, we had a meeting in this regard yesterday and request everyone to see if they have violated any rules,” Kulange said.
“We give everyone one month time to rectify the violations. If not, BMC will take strong action as per ODA rule,” he added.
Notably, the downpour amid the ongoing monsoon has left several parts of Bhubaneswar waterlogged. Roads, drains, and even houses in several areas were flooded causing traffic issues and inconvenience to the residents.
PNN