Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) issued 51 no objection certificates (NOCs) for public housing and commercial projects without observing environmental screening certificates (ESC) of Sindh Environmental Protection Agency during 2016 to date, was said in an audit report of the SBCA.

The authority also violated prescribed laws and procedures of entity in respect of designs and provided NOCs to builders and developers for construction of high-rise buildings during this period.

According to the report, violating the regulations, the SBCA facilitated constructors of high-rise buildings in the city with NOCs, despite a ban on such constructions by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The authority had been forbidden from providing NOCs for construction of buildings taller than 2 storeys.

Violations were also made in providing illegal NOCs to builders and constructors of high-rise buildings in Hyderabad and other cities of Sindh.

Pakistan Auditor General, during audit and inspection of records of SBCA for financial year 2016-17, observed that the entity remained involved in malpractices and even issued revised NOCs for sale and advertisement of flats and shops.

Deviation from prescribed laws and procedures constituted weak internal control system of SBCA, the audit report added.

The audit recommended fixing of responsibility on officer(s)/official(s) responsible for doubtful issuance of revised NOCs without addressing violations/issues.

The audit report revealed that the SBCA remained reluctant in taking strict legal action against concerned contractors on account of illegal construction, sale and booking of residential and commercial properties in violation of NOCs issued to them.

During audit and inspection of the SBCA Hyderabad region for financial year 2016-17, it was observed that the authority approved detailed building plans and issued NOCs for public sale projects without observing environmental screening certificates, in violation of laws.

The report said NOCs to different builders for sale and advertisement of flats and shops by way of conversation of residential plots into commercial plot were issued but the SBCA failed to prove that approval of Sindh government was provided for conversation of residential plots into commercial plots.

The audit report observed that NOCs to different builders for sale and advertisement of flats and shops were given by obtaining invalid Contractor’s All Risk Insurance Policy that did not cover losses arising out of defects in design, in violation of the laws.

In addition, the SBCA did not check if the seekers of NOCs had NOCs from Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as the CAA does not permit such NOCs in most cases falling under its limits, as high-rise buildings in certain areas may cause danger to flight operations.

Lord Vista, KASB Developers, SB Builders and Developers, Saima Tower, Saima Fine Tower, Tower Empire Boulevard, Ocean Shamsi, Dulara Empire, Chayell Bridge View, The Court Regency, Fatima Heights, Heaven Hotel, Heaven Mega Mall, Residence District Hyderabad, Heaven Heights Qasimabad, Yameen Residencia Latifabad, Hania Heights Hyderabad, Usman Icon, and many others in Sindh were among the builders and constructors who had been given NOCs by the SBCA.

Published in Daily Times, October 26^th 2017.