TMC-owned medical college, hospital illegal - RTI

DNA: Thane: Tuesday, December 09, 2014.

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has been pro in demolishing illegal structures across the city and it did take stringent measures against those who don't have occupancy and commencement certificate, but interestingly their own buildings have flouted norms.

As per the RTI response received by Thane-based activists Chandrahas Tawde, Chhatrapati Shivaji hospital [aka Kalwa hospital] and Rajiv Gandhi Medical college run by TMC does not have occupation certificate (OC) and approved plans.

As per the information received under RTI, both the structures are 22-year-old and till now TMC has not taken any effort to either legalise the building or take action against the concerned officials.

Thane resident had filed an RTI asking copies of sanctioned layout plan, building plan, plinth certificate and occupation certificate. However, the town planning department shocked the activist with its reply. The TMC said the plans of these two buildings had not been approved by the concerned department.

Tawde says, "The college and hospital buildings have not taken necessary permission and they are not approved by the town planning department, hence this is a blatant violation of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act 1966."

He added that as per the development control (DC) regulations of 1995, there can be no development without permission from concerned department so, as per the norms both the structures are illegal.

"It was also found that the land on which the hospital and college is built comes under coastal regulation zone (CRZ) and corporation have not taken due permission from the state government." In it's reply to the RTI findings, TMC has admitted that it is mandatory that all the proposals have to be duly approved by the town planning department, however as per the DCR, when the two structures weere constructed, it was not mandatory for the government buildings.

Tawde, however disagrees and said the exemption was not for medical college and hospital and that such establishments cannot run without an OC. Tawde has intimated the commissioner, principal secretary of health department and medical council of India regarding the irregularity and has given 15 days time to TMC to reply.

Failing which, he would file Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Bombay high court. When dna contacted the TMC deputy commissioner, Sandip Malvi, said, "We will go through the entire reports and I have also asked the concerned official to give us detailed information on why the OC was not taken. We would discuss the problem with civic chief, concerned departments and would take action accordingly."