Govt imposes fine of Rs1.10 cr on company for unauthorised digging
Govt imposes fine of Rs1.10 cr on company for unauthorised digging
The government has suddenly sprung into action against illegal constructions. The under construction Katraj Hills Club and Resort was fined Rs 1.10 crore for unauthorised digging and construction near Kolewadi. This was revealed in response to a question by Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Girish Bapat in the ongoing Assembly session.
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| Action at last: Blasting work on top of the new Katraj Ghat tunnel has caused damage to the hilly area. Pic/Vivek Sabnis |
The government had approved 1,420 brass of ground (the permission to go deep in the ground) to be dug.
However, officials later discovered that the company had dug 23, 756 brass, which was in excess of the approved amount.
The work at the project is not yet complete and has only reached the plinth level.
RTI activist Ravi Barate said that the blasting work was under progress near the new Katraj Ghat tunnel, right under the government's nose. "Was the government sleeping when the work was underway?" asked Barate.
The resort company had constructed a kaccha road up to the actual project on the top of the Katraj Ghat. "It is really sad that the government turned a blind eye to the entire work that was carried out last year. Blasting work and removal of debris with JCB machinery was on until order was given to stop the entire project," Barate said.
Barate, who had also written a letter to the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, said that Rs 1.10 crore fine imposed on the construction company was less. "The government should charge over Rs 4 crore as fine," he said. "A serious accident could have happened during the blasting work near the new tunnel on the Katraj Ghat," he said.
City Collector Vikas Deshmukh said the government would ensure that such issues do not happen again. When asked about Barate's claim that the fine levied was less, Deshmukh said the decision was taken by the Additional Collector after studying the matter thoroughly. "The additional collector's office is a competent authority and the decision regarding the fine has to have some sense behind it," said Deshmukh.
Barate has asked a through probe on changing the zone (use of the land) at Katraj from hilltop/hill slope to residential with the help of former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.
Constructing a road near the new tunnel is illegal which has damaged the Katraj hills in a big way. The same disputed area also has a 20,000 square-feet bungalow belonging to Patangrao Kadam, State Forest Minister. "Probe should be also made into the bungalow," Barate demanded.
