Intensifying its drive against building violations and misuse of properties, the UT administration has issued 90 more notices to allottees in Industrial Area.
“A total of 65 notices have been served for misuse of properties and 25 for building violations,” said a UT official. It is also learnt that around 300 more notices are being in the process of being issued.
Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) east has issued the notices. In most of the premises, electric goods shops are being run. More than a month back, the administration had issued 50 notices, also in Industrial Area, for misuse and building violations.
“The administration has given them two months to stop the misuse of premises and rectify violations, otherwise it will seal such premises,” said the official.
With industry and manufacturing units migrating from the city to neighbouring cities or closing down, a large number of trading and retails businesses have cropped up in Industrial Area, particularly in Phase II. Earlier, the UT adviser had visited the area to take stock of the violations.
A number of non-permitted activities in Industrial Area are running without any permission as the allotment rules of the estate office and as per the industrial policy.
The Chandigarh Industrial Policy 2015 allowed IT, electronics, software, hardware and ITES units and technology and research units in Industrial Area.
The policy was amended in 2019 allowing IT-enabled services including telecom, engineering industrial, structural testing lab, audio visual recording studio for social media, documentation centre and security management services, subject to condition that any activity entailing direct customer interface will not be allowed such as commercial activities.
The red category industry and any enterprise with business to customer interface are strictly prohibited.
The running of the non-permitted activities in Industrial Area, particularly Phase II, has been a major violation zone in the city.
The 11-member committee headed by city MP, constituted under the SC directions, had recommended that the list given in Schedule 1 of Industries (Dev. & Reg.) Act 1951 (except Red category) should be considered with or without changing the existing FAR as allowing such activities will not affect the existing infrastructure.
The committee had stated the administration may charge appropriate trade change charges/fee for allowing such activities.
Even though the administration is working on formulating a “negative list” of activities to allow more activities in Industrial Area, the red category activities and any enterprise having direct business to customer interface would not be allowed, said a UT official.
