Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA) has issued a list of 57 promoters who have failed to pay penalties of over Rs 6 crore imposed on them for violating different provisions of the Odisha Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016.
“ORERA has been formed to safeguard the interest of homebuyers. Accordingly, since its inception in 2016, it has been hearing pleas of homebuyers and penalising the realtors if found guilty,” real estate expert Bimalendu Pradhan said.
Pradhan, however, said the list of defaulters is worrying. “In many cases, ORERA must have issued the order and penalised the realtors. But the recovery remains a daunting task, which is evident from the list,” he said.
A senior ORERA official told TOI that the list was issued for public interest. “People need to know the defaulters, for which the authority has made the list public. The list is also for the information of defaulters,” the official said.
He stated that ORERA has the power to pass the orders, but the recovery usually is done by the district authorities concerned. “RERA doesn’t have a provision for the authority to make the recovery,” he explained.
In July, Union housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal told the Rajya Sabha that state govts can supersede RERA if the authority is unable to discharge its functions or perform duties.
Revenue minister Suresh Pujari recently indicated the govt is planning to amend the RERA and related acts for the benefit of public.As per ORERA records, over Rs 6.89 crore in fines was imposed on 60 realtors for the violations, out of which only Rs 23 lakh has been realised so far. Only three promoters paid the penalty amount. The list contains the names of defaulters who executed plotted projects as well as apartments in and around the city. The penalty amounts range between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 50 lakh.
