KOZHIKODE: In an unprecedented move, the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation council meeting held on Monday canceled the Corporation Secretary’s order which delegated the authority for approval of building plans to engineers.
The order had increased the limit of building plan approval from 300 square metres to 1500 square metres to the assistant engineer.
The secretary had also granted powers to the executive engineer to sanction building plans up to 7,000 square metres thereby increasing the limit from 1500 square metres.
The superintending engineer had been given charge to sanction building permits between 7,000 square metres to 10,000 square metres and the corporation secretary was entitled to grant permission to building plans above 10,000 square metres.
During the council meeting, UDF councillor N.C Moyinkutty raised the issue of the order and stated that it was against government norms.
Mayor Prof A.K Premajam, who said the Secretary took the decision on his own, informed the council that she was not informed and suggested that the council cancel the order.
The council also decided to recommend to the state government to take action against the Secretary. Reacting to the issue, Secretary B.K Balraj said that the Council could not cancel the order of the Secretary.
“However they can request that it be cancelled and I don’t have any issue in doing so,” he said. “The order was issued after the superintending engineer requested it. In all other Corporations, this delegation is common. The order is to help people who are suffering because of the piling up of building plan approvals,” he added.
The UDF also criticized the absence of the Secretary, additional, deputy secretary and superintending engineer from the council. The Secretary is out of station because of official meetings.
The council also decided to hold the decision regarding the permanent appointment of a driver and sanctioning the expenditure incurred at the inauguration of the Corporation Cultural Centre.
