Itanagar DM Bans Illegal Construction Along Rivers, Drainage Channels to Reduce Flood Risk
ITANAGAR, July 3: In a major step aimed at preventing flash floods and safeguarding lives and property, the District Magistrate of Itanagar Capital Region, Toko Babu, APCS, has issued a prohibitory order banning all unauthorized construction and encroachment along riverbanks, natural nallahs, drainage channels, floodplains and other environmentally sensitive areas with immediate effect. The order, issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, cites the increasing instances of illegal residential, commercial and other developmental activities being carried out in violation of the approved Building Bye-Laws, the Itanagar Master Plan and other applicable laws. According to the order, unauthorized constructions and encroachments have obstructed the natural flow of rivers and drainage channels, reducing their carrying capacity and significantly increasing the risk of flash floods, waterlogging, landslides, erosion and other disasters. The...