New Delhi: Holding that prima facie there
was clear cut violation of coastal regulation norms by the
Adarsh Housing Society in Mumbai, Environment Minister Jairam
Ramesh on Tuesday said demolition of illegal floors of the
31-storeyed building is "certainly one very important option."
"We received an interim reply on October 27 saying
there has been no approval given by the state government`s
coastal zone management authority (CZMA)... Adarsh did not
have this clearance...therefore it was violating CRZ 91," he
said.
His ministry was waiting for a final report by
Thursday from the Maharashtra government relating to
violation of CRZ notification 1991 relating to mandatory green
norms required for construction of building, Ramesh told
a private TV channel.
Asked whether demolition can be ordered if the
violations were proved, the minister said, " It is one
option...it is certainly one very important option."
Refusing to be drawn into commenting on the role of
some of his predecessors in the ministry, he said, its not
proper for me to comment on any predecessor of mine whether it
is TR Balu who happens to be an alliance partner or Suresh
Prabhu (Shiv Sena) who was environment minister in 1998-99 and
whose name figures as one of the allottes.
Minister made it clear that any structure found in
violation of the CRZ will be proceeded against and went on to
note that there was 8,000 illegal structures in Goa and the
state government has been told that they must be demolished.
"If there are fishermen and traditional communities
(owning such structures), let`s think of a way of resolving
the issue..., he said.
Dismissing allegations that his ministry was stopping
projects only in non-Congress state he said there was no
selective implementation of the law.
"I don’t distinguish between Congress state and
non-Congress state," he said referring to a recent pre-show
cause notice issued to Pollavaram irrigation project in
Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh.
PTI
