South Mumbai bldgs violating CRZ norms under court scanner

The Bombay High Court has turned up the heat on constructions in south Mumbai which violate the Coastal Regulatory Zone Notification of February 1991.

The Bombay High Court has turned up the heat on constructions in south Mumbai which violate the Coastal Regulatory Zone Notification of February 1991.

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The court on Thursday directed the additional collector (encroachments) and municipal commissioner to submit a report stating action taken pursuant to the communication by December 23.

Central Environment and Forest Ministry had issued the communication on November 20, 2001, asking the state government to identify and remove all constructions [after February 19, 1991, when the notification was issued] in south Mumbai, which were in violation of the CRZ notification.

The communication was issued following a high court order. Acting on a public interest litigation filed by the Colaba-Cuffe Parade Citizens' Group, the court had on March 21, 2001 directed the environment and forest Ministry to take action in accordance with CRZ notification.

The court had also directed the ministry to submit an action-taken report, for which the communication was forwarded to the state.

On Thursday, counsel for the petitioner association, Rui Rodricks, contended that the state government had neither taken any action pursuant to the communication nor any action-taken report was submitted to the court.

He submitted that instead during the period rampant violations have taken place by way of illegal construction from Nariman Point to Navy Nagar and destruction of mangroves.

While a number of slums settled along south Mumbai coastline are listed by a commissioner appointed by the high court, some high-rise buildings, such as the controversial Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society, are on the list of alleged violators of CRZ norms.

The matter will come up for hearing in January 2011.