HC orders demolition of illegal college, hostel

The Bombay high court has ordered the demolition of a multi-storey college and hostel buildings constructed in a residential colony at Nalwadi in Wardha district.

The Bombay high court has ordered the demolition of a multi-storey college and hostel buildings constructed in a residential colony at Nalwadi in Wardha district.

HT Image

Acting on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by 15 residents of the locality, the division bench of justice BP Dharmadhikari and justice PD Kode directed the collector of Wardha to pull down the structures constructed without proper sanction from authorities, utilising an FSI of 15,089 square meters, against the permissible limit of 2601 sq m.

The court also ordered an inquiry against the then CEO and deputy CEO of Wardha zilla parishad and office bearers of the gram panchayat within three months.

The petition said the construction of New Arts College and five hostel buildings by Mahila Vikas Sanstha, Wardha, was creating nuisance in the area with illegally amalgamated residential plots, blatantly violating FSI restrictions for marginal open spaces.

When the organisation said it aimed to provide free education to backward class students, the judges said: “If such arguments are accepted, influential organisations will buy land and use it as per their wish and force themselves upon law and the society.”