Section 256 in Bihar Board's Miscellaneous Rules, 1958
256. Selection of sites for Central and Provincial buildings cost of which is less than Rs. 5,000.
- The following rules have been laid down for selection of sites for Central and Provincial buildings when cost is less than Rs 5,000:-[Public Works Department Circular Memo No. 5367-B, dated the 31st March, 1920].(1)The selection of a site for a proposed building must be dealt with as soon as a demand is received for an estimate from an officer authorised to call for it.When a rough estimate is called for a general report regarding the proposed site will be given which will accompany the estimate when it is sent up for administrative approval.(2)As soon as demand for an estimate as in paragraph (1) or administrative approval to an estimate sent under (1)(a) is received the Executive Engineer shall in consultation with the District Magistrate and the local Head of the Department concerned select a site for the proposed building and make out the usual plans.If the building is in the compound of an existing Government building a block plan only will be required.This must show the whole compound and all the buildings existing or proposed within it.In a case where land has to be acquired, the Executive Engineer will at once apply to the Collector for an estimate and draft declaration for the land.In outlying stations, the District Magistrate, Executive Engineer and the local Head of the Department concerned may delegate their subordinates to represent them.(3)The Executive Engineer will be responsible that the site selected is suitable for building on.In case the Executive Engineer has any doubt as to the suitability of the proposed site on sanitary grounds, he should consult the Civil Surgeon on this point.(4)If the site selected is on land already in charge of the Public Works Department, the site plan will be signed by the Superintending Engineer before the estimate is sent up for technical sanction.When the land is in charge of the department concerned, the signature of the head of that department on the plan will be necessary.(5)In cases where there is difference of opinion regarding the suitability for a site among the officers referred to in Rule (2) the matter will be referred by the Superintending Engineer to the Commissioner of the Division, whose decision shall be final in the case of provincial buildings but in the case of central buildings the decision of the Government of India is necessary.(6)When the site is within a municipality or controlled area, the signature of the Chairman of the municipality or of the President of the local committee, will be necessary before technical sanction is given.Note 1. - In the case of buildings proposed to be constructed at Ranchi and Doranda (including Hinoo) the site plan or the proceedings of the site committee or both, as the case may be, should be submitted through the administrative department concerned for the approval of the Provincial Government.Note 2. - The Public Works Department (Road and Buildings) representative on site committee is there to advice the committee on the engineering aspects of the site just as the Civil Surgeon is there to advise on the hygiene aspects. Generally speaking in the province, the more important engineering points are :(a)Is the site swampy, low or liable to flood?(b)Is the soil suitable for foundations or will special treatment be necessary in the case of-(1)soil liable to expansion and contraction, or soil of an abnormal nature.(2)made ground.(c)Is the building oriented in the right direction with reference to-(1)the view,(2)ventilation,(3)verandah protection,(4)orientation of rooms required for specific purposes.(d)Is the site suitable for excavation of a well?Sufficient attention has not been paid to these points resulting in some cases in (1) building having been faced the wrong way rendering unsightly and expensive additions necessary, (2) heavy unforeseen expenditure in expensive foundations, and (3) buildings having been built on soil which expands and contracts without precautions having been taken to counteract this, resulting in some cases, in the building having had to be condemned.Steps should be taken to ensure that the Public Works Department representative examines the site and advises the site committee from an engineering point of view completely and thoroughly. Trial pits should invariably be dug at several points and the soil examined by a responsible officer and the section shown on the site plan with a correct description of the soil. Where a notification under Section 4 has not yet issued, owners of land can legally object to trial pits being dug, but this is not often the case in practice.
