NOC may be compulsory in Maharashtra for construction site workers in the building permission plan.

By Abhay Shah, Realty Quarter

In any of the plans authorized by a local authority for construction permits, the Labor Commissioner proposed a compulsion to include a no objection certificate for the safety of workers. The building permission plan is granted by the local authority — municipal corporation, municipal council, Zilla Parishad, Collectorate, or metropolitan regional development authority.

Before getting a green light on the project, the Labor Commissioner proposed adding a clause to the company to ensure the safety and security of construction workers. Labor Commissioner Rajeev Jadhav said that the proposal would shortly be forwarded to the state urban development department.

“When construction permits are given, construction workers’ safety and security will be an undertaking and they (the local authority) must grant NOC after the appropriate inspection process,” says Jadhav.

This ensures the safety of workers on the local authorities who issue construction permits for different locations. The decision was taken after seeing the accident of two wall collapsing in Kondhwa and Ambegaon in which more than 15 workers were dead.

“Since the local authorities visit the sites frequently for plinth inspections, partial occupancy certificates and are in contact with the developers, they must also check for the safety of construction workers,” said Jadhav.

Nashik Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishna Ghame recently ordered his team to follow this procedure following an incident at a worksite where employees were wounded. Ghame said the local authorities should include NOC stating the worker’s safety at the time of clearing the building plan. He said it was the authority to ensure that the developer has in place safety precautions.

Developers at the time of welcoming the proposal mentioned to include the undertaking, but have said that a time frame should be followed — construction permits should first be given, starting work on a site. “They have to offer the undertaking once the job starts after the inspections have been made,” a developer stated, on the condition of anonymity.

For its portion, Credai-Pune has already ordered its members, to collect information about labour camps on their locations and to take measures including that workers should be taken to security if the camp is considered to be hazardous.

In addition, the Labor commissioner appeals to Credai and other developer groups in order to persuade them to ensure safety measures and to encourage them to perform a safety audit on the construction site.