The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has formed a “supervisory committee” for monitoring the actions of SBCA officers regarding the demolition and sealing of illegal and unauthorized constructions in Karachi.
On August 31, SBCA Director General Muhammad Ishaque Khuhro issued a notification in this regard.
The committee was formed under section 10-A of Sindh Building Control Ordinance-SBCO 1979.
It is a 9-member committee with SBCA DG in the chair. Rehan Khan-SBCA Assistant Director/Deputy Director is nominated as secretary/coordinator of the committee.
Other members include SBCA director demolition, director district (concerned), director vigilance, director general complaint cell, SBCA public relation officer, deputy director Legal section and any officer/official co-opted by the committee.
TORs of the supervisory committee
The supervisory committee is mandated to monitor actions being taken against unauthorized constructions.
The committee shall refer the complaints regarding illegal constructions to the district director through the secretary for lawful actions in the presence of assistant directors and building inspectors after obtaining approval from the SBCA DG.
On the recommendation of the supervisory committee, the SBCA district directors would issue orders for the demolition of illegal buildings in coordination with the respective district administration and submit reports to SBCA DG on weekly basis.
Then, the SBCA district director concerned would take lawful action against the unauthorized construction and stop any illegal construction immediately.
The SBCA supervisory committee is to take legal action against the violators, builders and owners who are involved in carrying out illegal construction. They will also lodge FIRs against the violators in the concerned police station.
The PRO will be responsible for publishing actions taken by the SBCA against illegal constructions in print and electronic media.
The SBCA DG section will be responsible for informing the panel advocates who will appear before the courts of law on behalf of the authority for timely compliance of each case.
The committee chairman will be responsible for submitting a report every fortnight regarding the actions taken against unauthorized constructions and officers/officials involved to the Sindh Minister for Local Government.
Is this committee any different from past committees
Secretary Supervisory Committee Rehan Khan claims that the committee is unique as it is headed by the SBCA director general himself.
The SBCA DG is to directly report to the provincial local government minister.
“We have been asked to get 3-month data from all SBCA directors regarding building constructions,” he said, adding that once the data is compiled, the supervisory committee will find out the illegal constructions being conducted in Karachi.
A meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of SBCA DG in which a Performa will be prepared, he said.
With the help of Performa, the supervisory committee monitors the existence of illegal buildings in each district and action taken against them, the secretary added.
In the meeting, the SBCA director general asked the directors to resolve complaints and court cases that are pending against unauthorized constructions.
Khan asserted that inquiry is to be conducted on the recommendation of the supervisory committee against the SBCA officers/officials involved in patronizing illegal constructions.
