Oct. 13: The Assam government’s decision to shift some powers and responsibilities of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) to the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has sparked controversy in the run-up to the municipal poll.

Opposition parties and builders are crying foul over Dispur’s decision, saying the people will suffer because of the arbitrary move.

The government recently issued a notification, vesting the responsibility of issuing no-objection certificates for construction of buildings above three stories to the GMDA. The decision came close on the heels of the government giving the responsibility of allotting parking areas in the city to the same organisation.

Top officials of the GMC were tight-lipped over the developments, but their juniors said Dispur had hit where it hurts the most — the civic panel’s source of revenue. They said the GMC’s existence would soon be limited to paper if the trend of shifting powers and responsibilities continued.

Opposition parties view Dispur’s move as an infringement on the rights of the GMC, while builders fear that the decision will increase the number of pending applications for no-objection certificates.

Veteran CPI leader and former minister Promode Gogoi said it was unconstitutional to shift responsibilities from a people’s organisation to an executive body. He made a case for conduction the GMC poll immediately to stop the government from taking away its rights.

“This ad hoc body is not in a position to protest the injustice meted out to it. After all, the officials who run the GMC cannot go against the decision of their own government. If they do, they will lose their jobs,” Gogoi said.

The AGP plans to make an issue out of the government’s decision with an eye on the GMC poll. A senior party leader said: “We will take the issue to the people. Curtailing the GMC’s powers means curtailing people’s power.”

The BJP described the move as one aimed at “hijacking power” from the GMC. It said the ruling party had realised that it was heading for defeat in the municipality poll. “They know what is in store for them in the municipality election. Hence the move to transfer all powers to the GMDA,” the secretary of the BJP’s city unit, Rajiv Gupta, said.

Builders say they will end up as the main losers. “There are already many applications for no-objection certificates pending with the GMC. Now, these applications will be routed to the GMDA, which will delay the entire process,” Gautam Baruah, a representative of the Architects’ Association of Assam, said.

He said the timing of the decision was wrong. “The construction season generally starts in winter. By the time no-objection certificates can be procured, the monsoon might set in.”

Another builder said the GMDA does not have the manpower to clear applications within a reasonable period.

“The process is time-consuming even in the GMC, with applications pending for upto three years. But the situation will be worse in the GMDA,” Abhijit Debroy of Dreamland Real Estate said.

One of his colleagues said the chief minister’s directive to the GMDA to clear all applications for transfer of land within 15 days was yet to be implemented.