Date:07/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/07/stories/2008100758760300.htm

Kerala - Kochi

Government mulling changes in apartment ownership Act

Staff Reporter

Minister inaugurates World Habitat Day programme

Says discussions have begun on changes in norms
No decision yet on proposed cess on luxury houses

KOCHI: Minister for Housing Benoy Viswom has said the government is mulling over changing the regulations of the Kerala Apartment Ownership Act 1983 in tune with the times.

Inaugurating the State-level World Habitat Day programme here on Monday, the Minister said a scientific approach to building apartments in co-relation with available land was needed. Besides, waste disposal, fire safety measures and an environment-friendly culture should be developed as the way of life in cities would be apartment-oriented.

The government was yet to evolve a consensus as discussions on the subject had only just started, he said.

The Minister voiced the call for making “friendly cities.”

How the living spaces in the cities were getting smaller and how the cities were becoming unsafe after nightfall were some of the issues that needed to be discussed for making cities friendly, he said.

Mr. Viswom said the government was yet to decide on the proposed one per cent cess on luxury houses that would contribute to the treasury for making houses for the poor.

He said that funds for renovation of the houses under the One Lakh House (lakshamveedu) Scheme were not being met with only Rs.28 crore in the kitty whereas the project required Rs.300 crore.

V.R. Krishna Iyer, former judge of the Supreme Court, giving the message of Habitat Day, said shelter was a human right.

People had a right to decent living as they had a right to life. The government should take it as a priority to provide homes to those who did not have any land or house.

While on one side huge mansions were coming up, on the other were people who had no shelter, Mr. Iyer said

The Minister gave away the prize for the best Nirmithi Kendra to Thrissur district.

He also distributed prizes for competitions held in essay, speech and painting competitions at school-level in connection Habitat Day observance.

M. Rehamatullah, Chairman of the Kerala State Housing Board, welcomed the gathering on the occasion. Mayor Mercy Williams presided over the function. G. Harikumar, Director, Kerala State Nirmithi Kendra, and K.V.P. Krishna Kumar, ward councillor,

Kochi Corporation, spoke on the occasion. Noel Thomas, Housing Commissioner and Secretary, KSHB, proposed a vote of thanks.