Adarsh dominates civic debate

The Adarsh Society controversy kept the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) abuzz on a day when the tower’s water and power supplies were disconnected.

The Adarsh Society controversy kept the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) abuzz on a day when the tower’s water and power supplies were disconnected.

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This followed the revocation of the occupancy certificate.

In the civic general body, the ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine chided the Congress over its ministers’ alleged involvement in the controversy. The combine demanded that powers to sanction development in the city be handed over to the BMC. “If the building had to take permissions from the civic body, this controversy would never have arisen,” said Sena corporator Sunil Prabhu. One of Adarsh’s promoters is Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, a Sena legislator when the society was floated. Another party leader, Suresh Prabhu, owns a flat in the building.

Nationalist Congress Party leader Niyaz Vanu pointed out that building permissions in Nariman Point and Backbay were handled by the BMC till 2009, after which the power was transferred to the state. “All major clearances to Adarsh were given by the BMC,” he said.