Kathmandu

New buildings flouting code to be refused utilities

New buildings flouting code to be refused utilities

By Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 22 The Policy Coordination Committee under the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has decided to recommend to the concerned agencies not to provide water supply, electricity, telephone and sewerage services to buildings constructed without following the building code. A meeting of the PCC held on June 12 took a decision to this effect in line with the budget speech of fiscal year 2016/17, said a report of the MoFALD. The budget stated that the building code would be amended and intensive monitoring would be carried out to check if any building has been constructed without following the building code. Similarly, it said water supply, electricity, telephone and sewerage services would not be provided to buildings constructed without following the building code. According to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, the Environmental Management Division of the concerned municipality is responsible for implementing the decision. The deadline for implementation of this decision is mid-July 2017. Similarly, the budget has made construction of disabled-friendly infrastructures mandatory for public spaces, government offices, educational and health institutions. In order to implement the decision, the government will incorporate the provision into the building code. The PCC has also decided to formulate a plan of action with respect to the mandatory provision for installation of rooftop solar power systems in houses in the Kathmandu Valley. At the same time, the Local Body Resource Mobilisation and Management Procedure, 2012 will be amended to encourage political parties, social groups and organisations to mobilise volunteers in development activities, disaster management and relief distribution in coordination with the local bodies. As all roads will be classified into three categories  federal, provincial and local  while determining Right of Way and controlling encroachment of roads. The PCC has decided to form a four-member committee led by chief of Infrastructure Development Division under the ministry to implement the decision. The committee will have a representative from DOLIDAR, local development officer of Lalitpur and chief of Technical Division at the Kathmandu Metropolitan City as members.