Times of India: Nagpur: Sunday,
December 04, 2016.
City's
biggest housing scheme Anandam Project's 28 floors comprising 168 flats have
allegedly turned out to be unauthorized. The Maharashtra Pollution Control
Board's (MPCB) high-level committee has observed 28 floors lack environment
clearance and MPCB's consent to establish. Accordingly, a notice has been
slapped on developer Goldbricks Infrastructure Private Ltd warning to prosecute
and scrap water and power supply to the project. However, Goldbricks denied any
violations.
The MPCB
committee's findings also expose the Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC)
violations done in bid to favour the developer.
The MPCB, on
August 11, had constituted a committee comprising five members assistant
secretary (technical) PK Mirashe, regional officer (head office) NN Gaurav, law
officer Netra Chaphekar, all from Mumbai, regional officer NS Lohalkar and sub
regional officer Hema Deshpande, two from city. The committee was asked to
inspect Anandam for verifying if any violations and also allegations made by
one of the flat purchasers Avinash Chaurasia. The committee met with unexpected
opposition from project land owner during joint inspection with the NMC
officials on September 14. Later, the committee with NMC and Goldbricks
officials inspected the project on September 29 and also held two meetings.
RTI activist
TH Naidu has obtained copy of committee's report and other relevant documents
under the RTI Act. As per the report, the environment clearance sanctioned by
the state's environment department was for S+11 floors for Tower-A and S+15
floors for A-1, B and C. Developer constructed Basement+S+19 floors in Towers-
A, A-1, B and C.
The report
also mentioned developer constructed E and F blocks with Basement+S+19 floors
and no mention about these two blocks in the environment clearance. Though a
violation but not technically as developer got sanctioned 17 Towers and
constructed only six.
Each floor
comprises of six flats so 168 are against environment clearance and MPCB
consent.
"NMC
cannot sanction building plan without ensuring environment clearance and MPCB
consent. Still NMC sanctioned revised building plan of Anandam despite no
amendment in environment clearance and MPCB consent," Naidu told TOI.
The MPCB
committee also observed JVS (grab) samples show exceeding limits of parameters
as per consented standards. Taking serious cognisance of construction of
additional floors neglecting mandatory permission and also exceeding limits,
Lohalkar issued the notice dated November 24 to Goldbricks warning of prosecution
and scrapping power and water supply.
MPCB official
said necessary action will be initiated after receiving the reply from the
developer.
Chief manager
of Goldbricks Pratik Saraogi said the department on May 13, 2014 has given
clean chit to Anandam. "Copy of letter is also available with the MPCB. We
failed to understand the reason for pointing out all these flaws by MPCB,"
he said.