Flat owners object to ‘low water zone’ decision

The state government has proposed to convert sectors 2-10 of low-water availability zone into a residential one by deleting ‘EP’ (excluded property) 60 and 62 proposals meant for town planning scheme zone.

The PMC,the planning authority responsible for the provision of essential services,had proposed the creation of this zone,keeping in mind the fact that it may not be able to supply water to these areas.

With so many areas in the city where residents have to rely on water tankers,the PMC is giving an escape route to the builders,points out forum convenor Aroona Nafday.

With the plans for buildings cleared by the PMC,it is their responsibility to supply water after obtaining an undertaking from the builders concerned stating that the responsibility of providing water will be theirs.

Nafday said that consumers purchasing flats in such projects either by the PMC or by the builder are kept in the dark on this issue,leading the consumer to believe that the PMC is the sanctioning authority that will be supplying water.

“Reality comes to the fore after the builder hands over possession of the flat leaving the consumers high and dry,” Nafday added. In the past,this issue was discussed in the General Body Meeting (GB),but no decision has been taken as yet.

Having raised the objection,she states that it is surprising the state government is eager to clear it and permit residential construction.

“This is an attempt at cheating prospective flat purchasers in these areas by keeping them in the dark about the non-availability of water which is the basic human requirement,” she says.

The forum also believes that the state government appears to be acting under pressure from the builders’ lobby and fears that the real estate prices in such areas will fall drastically if the low water availability zone is legally demarcated.