Adarsh-like action against towers violating CRZ norms

Following a diktat by Jairam Ramesh, environment and forest minister, the state government has started consolidating information about high rises with CRZ and FSI violations in the coastal areas of Mumbai.

The housing department claimed that the buildings that have violated norms may face Adarsh-like action.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has directed the housing department to review the violations in the coastal areas in the city and submit a report within three months.

Housing and urban development departments have issued orders to the respective authorities for the satellite mapping of such violations.

Minister of state for housing Sachin Ahir said on Wednesday that the agencies have been asked to review the violations of CRZ as well as FSI.

“There are serious violations in some pockets of the city. We want to find out the violations with the help of satellite mapping. Respective agencies will decide how to go about the mapping and the mechanism that needs to be engaged,” he said.

Ahir said the government is thinking seriously about fixing the responsibility of town planning agencies like the BMC and Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority.  

“The norms related to environment and FSI are not followed strictly by these authorities for various reasons. The state wants to fix the responsibility on the authorities. We are thinking of making certain changes in the existing system,” he added.

He said there is a provision of imposing fines for violation of norms by the societies.

“In some cases, the action could be as extreme as the one taken against the Adarsh society,” Ahir said.

Ramesh, while releasing the new CRZ notification two weeks ago, had asked the state government to go for satellite mapping. He said Goa has identified 5,000 such violations and other states, including Maharashtra, should follow suit in four months.

He also has demanded action against the violations in four months after that.