Videocon HSG society moves court against developers

Videocon Tower-A co-operative housing society, Kandivli, has approached the Bombay high court seeking demolition of two additional buildings constructed in its premises by Veena Developers, allegedly without obtaining mandatory environmental clearance.

Videocon Tower-A co-operative housing society, Kandivli, has approached the Bombay high court seeking demolition of two additional buildings constructed in its premises by Veena Developers, allegedly without obtaining mandatory environmental clearance.

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The society sought initiation of legal proceedings against concerned officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), as ordered by the environment department.

On Monday an advocate from solicitor firm Niranjan and Company mentioned the petition before the division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and justice Niteen Jamdar. The bench has posted the petition for hearing on June 28.

The housing society moved the high court after finding that no action had been taken against the developer and concerned officials of the BMC, who granted Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) to the two additional buildings.

The developers, also known as Nikunj Developers, did not apply for prior environmental clearance before starting the project and represented the total built-up area of the project was less than 20,000 sq m, the cut-off for a green nod.

The builders applied for clearance in January 2010 after the two14-storied towers were almost ready and one had an occupation certificate from the civic body. The state stalled the work on the towers and later gave it a green nod in 2011, but maintained that the builder would have to face action for violating norms.

Earlier, a society resident, Ravi Punjabi, had moved the high court about the violations. While the court dismissed the petition, it directed the state environment department to examine the irregularity. The state’s recent order is based on these investigations, which found the project’s total built-up area was more than 20,000 square meters.