The Bombay High Court’s order to demolish the Adarsh Cooperative Group Housing Society’s building in the Colaba area of the metropolis is bound to hit former chief minister Ashok Chavan the most. It is not just because four of his close relatives have flats in the high-rise building. He had taken a keen interest in the construction of the apartment and as such, would be in a tight spot as the law takes its own course. His political career could also be at stake since he had been hand-picked by Rahul Gandhi to lead the Congress in Maharashtra. The court has specifically directed the government to come down heavily on all the bureaucrats and politicians, who had played a nefarious role that allowed the building to come up. While it is to be welcomed, steps must be taken to ensure that politicians involved in it do not escape.
However, it is a moot point whether the ideal course of action is demolition. The court has stayed its order for 12 weeks on the request of the society. A similar apartment building called White House was built in violation of all rules in New Delhi. It was situated very close to the Supreme Court. One of the charges against the developer was that the height of the building was above the ceiling fixed for the area. While ordering demolition of those floors, which were above the ceiling, the court allowed the rest of the building to stay. Today, many people live in the building. Similarly, total demolition of the Adarsh building would not serve much of a purpose, other than terrorising the tainted.
Thought could have been given to the fact that the housing project was initiated in the name of the victims of the Kargil war, especially the Kargil widows. Those, who did not suffer on account of the war, had no right to become a member in the society and get a flat which will fetch a huge profit when it is sold. In fact, the Kargil name was misused to speed up the sanctioning job. The court could have cancelled the allotments, invited fresh applications from deserving Kargil victims and allotted them the flats in a transparent manner. That is, instead of, demolishing the brick-and-mortar structure!
Resource: http://www.newindianexpress.com
However, it is a moot point whether the ideal course of action is demolition. The court has stayed its order for 12 weeks on the request of the society. A similar apartment building called White House was built in violation of all rules in New Delhi. It was situated very close to the Supreme Court. One of the charges against the developer was that the height of the building was above the ceiling fixed for the area. While ordering demolition of those floors, which were above the ceiling, the court allowed the rest of the building to stay. Today, many people live in the building. Similarly, total demolition of the Adarsh building would not serve much of a purpose, other than terrorising the tainted.
Thought could have been given to the fact that the housing project was initiated in the name of the victims of the Kargil war, especially the Kargil widows. Those, who did not suffer on account of the war, had no right to become a member in the society and get a flat which will fetch a huge profit when it is sold. In fact, the Kargil name was misused to speed up the sanctioning job. The court could have cancelled the allotments, invited fresh applications from deserving Kargil victims and allotted them the flats in a transparent manner. That is, instead of, demolishing the brick-and-mortar structure!
Resource: http://www.newindianexpress.com
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