Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday told the Assembly that the Adarsh society building at Colaba in south Mumbai would have to be demolished as per the orders from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) unless the Bombay High Court granted a reprieve.
During question hour, Mr. Chavan said the MoEF deadline would end on April 14 and the court hearing was scheduled for a day earlier. The Adarsh society had challenged the order in the High Court. On January 16, the MoEF had ordered the demolition within three months since the building was constructed in violation of the Coastal Zone Regulation (CRZ) notification, 1991.
Earlier, on November 12, 2010, the Ministry issued a show-cause to the society under Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act. There is no provision for regularisation of illegal structures under the CRZ notification.
On missing papers in the Adarsh society scam, Mr. Chavan said a case was registered at the Marine Drive police station and four people were identified as suspects. A narco-analysis was to be done on them. The CBI was investigating the case and until the job was completed, no case could be filed against any official. He said the pages of notings in the file from 2000 to 2003 were not found. However, details of the files were recorded in the movement register. The entire file had not been lost and the papers should be retrieved.
Devendra Phadnavis (BJP) said officials involved in the scam should be placed under suspension until the investigation as over. However, Mr. Chavan said there was no need for suspension since a judicial commission was probing the matter and all relevant affidavits were with it. Moreover, all government officers were protected by a Central law and there was no question of suspending anyone until he or she was proved guilty. But the government would ensure that officials did not tamper with paperwork.
Earlier, Minister of State for General Administration Fauzia Khan said the work of the Judicial Commission was under way. The government had extended its time limit to July 7.
