Shimla, June 21 -- Holding that certificates issued by panchayats cannot be treated as an assurance of safety for multi-storeyed buildings in a seismically vulnerable hill state, the Himachal Pradesh high court has directed the state government to ensure mandatory soil investigation reports, structural design assessments and stability certificates before permitting major construction projects.

"The structural stability certificate must be obtained before putting the building into use, and this includes soil investigation and structural design basis reports. Furthermore, the practice of obtaining such certifications from panchayats offers no assurance for high-rise buildings proposed by private builders in the state, especially in hilly a...