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| Karra for emulating Chinese housing model | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Apr 11
Minister for Finance, Housing and Urban Development, Tariq Hameed Karra has said the State Government has formulated a new housing policy with the fundamental objective of providing affordable shelter to all.
Speaking at the inauguration of the three-day exhibition of unconventional building material, ‘Build Mat Expo-2008’, here today, Karra said the new housing policy envisages creating an enabling environment for the participation of private and cooperative sectors in the development of housing infrastructure. He said the policy would facilitate creation of a new legal and regulatory regime for housing and also redefine the role of the housing board and the developing authorities.
The Minister said the task of developing the housing infrastructure, however, will never acquire its true meaning and significance if it is not in tune with the environment and ecology of the area. He said the massive expansion of housing sector has resulted in explosion of energy consumption, higher degrees pollution and waste emissions. He said to cope up with these problems it is imperative to use innovate housing architecture and technology. "We should build with every building, every community and every city a future of green buildings, green community and green cities," he said.
Karra said during his recent visit to China for the 4th International Conference on Intelligent, Green and Energy Efficient Building organized by the Housing Ministry Government of China and Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), India, he was informed that the Chinese Government's urban development policy was based on affordable housing for all, use o alternate/unconventional building material, removal of intoxicants from the housing environment and recycling water or drinking and other purposes. He said the Chinese Government housing guidelines devote major efforts to develop energy-efficient and land-saving housing through minimum use of resources. He said the Chinese Government's strategy to combat the consequences o unplanned urbanization look practical and pragmatic and need to be replicated in our country.
Referring to the housing scenario in Jammu & Kashmir, Karra said Jammu & Kashmir is the most urbanized among the hilly states of India. He said the urban population of the State has grown from 8.5% in 1951 to 24.8% in 2001. He said the urban growth during 1981-2001 (98.4%) was higher than the national average (64.2%). He said the net effect of such explosive growth has led to deficient and even absence of basic civic amenities in many areas. He said the secondary effects of this urbanization are the weak and deficient Urban Regulatory functions, fragmented urban management leading to multiple line departments performing municipal functions. He said the ultimate result is very low user charges which further get aggravated with a lower level of their realization leading to lack of resources for Municipalities.
Karra said in tune with its policy of improving the urban amenities, the Government of India has embarked upon a massive Urban Renewal Mission titled JNNURM, and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir is working on Green Building Guidelines and several other issues of construction industry reforms jointly with CIDC.
The Expo is being organized by the Indian Institute of Architects, J&K Center Jammu. |
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