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Illegal construction continues to haunt Mussoorie”s beauty

May 12, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Mussoorie (Uttarakhand), May 12 (ANI): Despite the Supreme Court”s ruling in 1994 banning illegal constructions, the illicit constructions in Uttarakhand”s Mussoorie city is reportedly affecting the beauty of the hills.

The illegal construction here had stopped after the apex court”s verdict, but the rich and prosperous businessmen and hoteliers coming from other states continue to indulge in illegal construction.

“Common man is not involved in the illegal construction going on in Mussoorie. They cannot act against the Supreme Court ruling. The illegal construction going on the in the valley is mostly done by the hoteliers and businessmen,” said Anuj Tayal, a resident of Mussoorie.

“They have settled here from other states and it is affecting the beauty of Mussoorie. Environment is also affected by it,” he added.

The residents here claimed the illegal constructions are going on because of the collusion between the government officials and violators of law.

“After the supreme court ban on construction in Mussoorie, illegal construction has increased. Only the locals follow the ruling and for those coming from outside for business and are rich enough it has no meaning,” said Rajat Aggarwal, another resident of Mussoorie.

“Even the government is unable to stop these constructions especially in cases where rich businessmen belonging to other states are involved,” he added.

Mussoorie is a hill station, situated in the foothills of the Himalaya ranges, about thirty-four kilometers from Dehradun. It is also known as the ”Queen of the Hills”. (ANI)

Rights group questions Goa housing project

March 17, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Panaji, March 16 (IANS) A leading civic rights group Tuesday alleged irregularities in granting permissions to a mega housing project promoted by Delhi-based infrastructure firm DLF and has called the role of Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat in the deal as ‘extremely suspicious’.

‘As head of the town and country planning (TCP) department, his (Kamat) role is full of suspicion, especially the manner in which permissions were given for the DLF’s mega housing project in Daholim,’ Sabina Martins said during a press conference.

sabina is convenor of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA), a leading rights organisation which serves as an umbrella for several NGOs promoting planned development,

The DLF mega residential project which envisages the construction of 600 top-of-the-range houses along the hill slopes of the picturesque village of Dabolim, 30 km from here, has triggered a huge controversy with several politicians and bureaucrats being accused of turning a blind eye to numerous illegalities allegedly committed by the promoters in executing the project.

‘The entire project is being constructed on a slope which is a ‘no development zone’. Large scale tree felling was carried out without permissions from the forest department. And the TCP itself gave the project permissions using the ‘deemed’ provisions,’ Rebonie Saha, secretary of the GBA, said.

The TCP, which authorizes and finalizes plans for development projects, is presently headed by Kamat, who is also the chairman of the TCP Board, which is the authority for clearances.

Targeting Kamat for the slew of illegal construction projects in Goa, Martins said that not one of the assurances given by the chief minister over checking illegal constructions in the state had been delivered by him.

Kamat, who was elected to power in 2007, had been forced to scrap the controversial ‘Regional Plan 2011′, which envisaged conversion of large tracts of land from orchard or green categories to settlement zones.

However, the inordinate delay by Kamat in putting into place an alternative regional plan ‘Regional Plan 2021′ for Goa had only worked in favour of the real estate lobby, who were making merry thanks to the delay, the GBA said.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: abhiyan, Chief Minister, Civic Rights, construction projects, Development Zone, dlf, entire project, forest department, Hill Slopes, Housing Project, illegal construction, Illegal Constructions, Infrastructure Firm, Kamat, Picturesque Village, Project Permissions, regional plan, Residential Project, Sabina, turning a blind eye

Mumbai building collapse: Case registered against shop owners

August 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Aug 26 (ANI): A case has been registered against two shop owners after a portion of a four-storey residential building collapsed in Mumbai on Tuesday evening.

According to the police, Yunus Kasam Memon and Irfan Yusuf Memon, who own a shop of mobile handset covers, had allegedly added a staircase without seeking permission from the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

This led to collapse of the building ‘Yusuf Manzil’ at Lamington Road, they added.

Meanwhile, an 85-year-old woman, who was seriously injured, had died. Five others who were rescued suffered minor injuries and were treated at the hospital.

Among those rescued was a month-old infant.

Her condition was reported to be normal.

“We have rescued four people so far from the building. Of the four people, we have rescued a month-old infant and an 80-year-old woman,” said Pratap Damodar Kargupikar, Chief Fire Officer, Mumbai.

Milind Deora, who is the elected lawmaker from Central Mumbai, visited the spot and said that the actual cause could be ascertained only after the investigations.

“Some people say a shopkeeper began some illegal construction after pulling down the shutter of his shop. The authorities will enlighten you with the actual cause after the investigations,” he added. (ANI)

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One killed in Mumbai building collapse

August 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Aug 26 (ANI) An 85-year-old woman, who was seriously injured when a portion of a four-storey residential building collapsed in Mumbai, has died.

The building,’Yusuf Manzil’ at Lamington Road, caved on Tuesday evening after one of its main pillars weakened due to some construction work carried out by a shop on the ground floor of the building.

Five others who were rescued suffered minor injuries and were treated at the hospital.

Among those rescued was a month-old infant.

Her condition was reported to be normal.

Milind Deora who is the elected lawmaker from Central Mumbai visited the spot and said that the actual cause could be ascertained only after the investigations.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: authorities, Building Collapse, central mumbai, chief fire officer, construction work, Damodar, deora, illegal construction, investigations, lawmaker, manzil, minor injuries, old woman, pillars, Pratap, residential building, shopkeeper, shutter, tuesday evening

Demolition drive to knock down illegal structures in Nainital

August 9, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Nainital (Uttarakhand), Aug. 9 (ANI): Civic authorities in Naintal launched a fresh demolition drive of illegal buildings and structures, which were posing a threat to the fragile landscape and environment of the region, on Sunday.

The natural beauty of Nainital that attracts hordes of tourists every year is gradually fading away with the coming up of several concrete structures, both legal and illegal.

The Supreme Court also had taken a serious view of such developments, forcing the Nainital Development Authority to knock down all these illegal structures.

“We had sealed this building in January. But, despite that, they carried on construction activities. An FIR (First Information Report) has also been lodged against this person. But, still he continued constructing. So, in the end, we had to demolish the building,” said Dheeraj Gabryal, Secretary of Nainital Development Authority.

However, one of the building owners complained that he was not given any prior notice.

“They did not give us notice. If they had given us a notice, we would not have built this,” said Ajiz Ahmed, owner of an unauthorised building.

Environmentalists have maintained that the rapid illegal construction were responsible for the decline of greenery in the city.

“The natural beauty of Nainital is extraordinary. In order to protect its beauty, we should have put a check on construction of several buildings. But, unfortunately, building after building was constructed, both legal and illegal. You can see many unauthorised buildings being demolished,” said Navin Verma, an environmentalist.

Situated at an altitude of 1,938 metres above sea level, Nainital is surrounded by mountains and boasts of a world famous lake named Naini, which is the prime attraction of the city.

Tourists in large numbers throng the city every year to catch a glimpse of its natural beauty, which unfortunately has been marred by the illegal construction activities. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: altitude, civic authorities, Concrete Structures, construction activities, Demolition Drive, environmentalist, environmentalists, fir, glimpse, Greenery, Hordes, illegal construction, Illegal Structures, information report, large numbers, Naini, Nainital, natural beauty, Navin, prime attraction, sea-level, Uttarakhand

Spurt in illegal buildings near national park’

April 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

MUMBAI: A Congress corporator has alleged that collusion between civic engineers, lawyers, local police and vested interests has led to a spurt in
illegal constructions in the vicinity of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Rajendra Chaube, Congress corporator from Dahisar, in his complaint to municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak, has pointed out five instances where a cabal of civic engineers, civic lawyers and the lawyer of an interested party work together to obtain a stay from the city and civil court and ensure that the illegal construction comes up over the weekend when the BMC offices are closed.

Phatak said the complaints had been forwarded to the relevant department for inquiry. “We will look into the matter and take action accordingly,” he said. In one instance, P R Masurkar, assistant municipal commissioner R-North ward had, in a letter to the senior inspector, Dahisar police station warned that there was every likelihood of illegal construction being carried out on the night of February 7 on CRZ land at Rawalpada. Masurkar had even informed the police that one Vilas Jadhav had obtained an injunction from the city and civil court and would use the opportunity to carry out the illegal construction.

“The illegal construction came up as the police did not pay heed to warnings from the ward officer and a local Congress activist,” Chaube said in his complaint. In the second case, tin sheds measuring 1,400 sq ft have come up on a plot in the Dharkhadi area. In this case too, a court injunction was obtained against the demolition of the sheds on a Saturday. “The court injunction was obtained against the demolition of a chawl at Ghartanpada, which is 1.5 km away from where the illegal sheds have come up. The injunction has been obtained as the civic lawyer did not provide the facts before the court. And the civic engineers have preferred to look the other way instead of demolishing these sheds which will eventually be converted into pucca structures,”said Chaube.

Masurkar said a party approaches the civil court and produces documents such as photo-pass issued by the collector’s office to show that there is an existing structure. “They inflate the size of the structure and obtain a stay. The BMC is told to follow the due process of law, whereby we have to serve them a notice, provide hearing and then declare whether the structure is legal or not. If the order is adverse, then we forward it to the law department which has to inform the court. Only after obtaining the assent from the court can we demolish the structure,” he said.

Chaube said the person generally produces a bogus census certificate. They also produce an election card and a fake electricity bill. By the time the court gives its verdict, the illegal structure is sold to a buyer who ultimately suffers.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: BMC, civil court, collusion, Court Injunction, dahisar, illegal construction, Illegal Constructions, interested party, jadhav, jairaj, likelihood, municipal commissioner, police station, rajendra, relevant department, sanjay gandhi national park, spurt, sq ft, vicinity, Vilas

Authorities launch massive drive to conserve Dal Lake

February 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Srinagar, Feb 26 (ANI): Lakes and Waterways Development officials have initiated a massive drive against the houseboat owners and hoteliers around Dal Lake, who are allegedly polluting the lake by discharge of liquid and human waste.

Acting on the directives of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, the authorities have directed to stop the operations of hotels, houseboats and commercial units as mentioned in the state pollution board’s report filed on January 31.

“We have been given orders to stop commercial activities on the houseboats as they are polluting the Dal Lake. At present we have been asked to stop all the activities and tourists coming here as well, till some arrangements are made,” said Shafat Qadeemi, executive engineer.

The Court has also ordered to demolish the illegal construction near the Dal Lake.

Houseboat owners and affected people protested against the closure of their businesses, raised slogans and tried to disrupt traffic.

“As per court orders they are seizing the houseboats and hotels. They claimed that we are polluting the lake. We are not saying that we are not, but the fact is that our contribution is only three percent. The rest 97 percent is due to other things. The first priority should be to make entire drainage system, not in any particular area but in entire Srinagar. Once they would control the Srinagar drainage system, they should come and talk to us. We will ourselves take initiative to stop pollution,” said Tariq Ahmed, general secretary, houseboats owners association.

Tourism experts said that the move would affect the flow of visitors in the valley.

“I was talking with some travel agents and some houseboat owners and other agencies here. They have taken advance from tourists, which are expecting to come. If they will the see the boats are seized and they can’t stay in, they will not only ask their money back but also for the compensation. Then who is going to give them the money? It would not only draw back tourism in Kashmir but will also give a bad name,” said Habib, one of the tourism expert.

Environmentalists said thousands of tonnes of sewage spew into the lake, feeding weeds and choking the lake and its aquatic life of oxygen.

The lake’s size has been halved in a few decades, to some 13 square kilometres, due to farming land encroachment.

A study in 2007 by the state’s Comptroller and Auditor General reported that the lake has excessively high levels of toxic metals due to sewage.

Tests of water samples showed arsenic levels were almost 1,000 times above permissible levels.

Environmentalists and officials are pressing the hundreds of houseboats on the lake to stop dumping waste into the lake.

Many houseboat owners, desperate for tourists, say they are willing to stop but need the infrastructure to do it.

The scenic Dal lake in the heart of Srinagar is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and is home to 2,000 ornately-carved pinewood houseboats, whose owners are still dependent on tourism.

Last year, nearly 5,00,000 visitors travelled to the Kashmir Valley to see its beautiful landscapes. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: authorities, boats, closure, dal lake, development officials, drainage system, executive engineer, general secretary, hoteliers, houseboat owners, houseboats, illegal construction, jammu, Kashmir, pollution, slogans, srinagar, tourists, travel agents, waterways