Campa Cola: Chavan stays mum, Deora asks Sonia to intervene

Mumbai: Union Minister and South Mumbai MP Milind Deora has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, seeking help for the 130 families whose flats in the Campa Cola compound in Worli would be demolished following a court order.

The floors occupied by these families in the multi-storey buildings in the complex were declared unauthorised by the Supreme Court earlier this year. On Friday, the BMCserved eviction notices on 96 illegal flats, with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan offering little reprieve except for reiterating that the government was exploring legal options.

In a strongly-worded letter (a copy of which is with Firstpost), Deora asked Gandhi to persuade Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to find a legal solution to avoid the demolition.

“These residents are innocent victims of an age-old malaise plaguing our country-The Builder/Corporation nexus. The demolition has been directed by a Court Order than has spared the real perpetrators of the crime, viz the Builder and the corporation, and virtually handed a death sentience to residents. This is a classic case where builders have colluded with authorities to dupe home buyers…. Protecting these residents against atrocity will send a profound message not only in Mumbai, but across the country reaffirming the Congress party’s commitment to protecting the common man, who is the sufferer.”

The families are supposed to vacate their flats by Monday, as the Supreme Court recently refused to grant them relief.

Deora has urged the state to move quicker and act before November 11. He has also sought legal opinion independently on the issue from Union minister and legal luminary Kapil Sibal.

" I need an opinion on the feasibility of an ordinance to be passed where builders have cheated flat owners over 25 years ago for buildings constructed prior to CRZ," Deora wrote in a letter to Sibal.

Deora has also sent a similar to Fali Nariman Senior Council, Supreme Court and Darius Khambatta, Advocate-General-Maharashtra.

Deora held a meeting with Chavan on Saturday. While Chavan empathized with the plight of the flat owners, he has sought legal opinion on whether such an ordinance should be passed.

Meanwhile, hunger strike by residents entered the seventh day on Saturday. Four residents, including two senior citizens, are on an indefinite hunger strike.

" I will not break my fast unless honourable chief minister Prithviraj Chavan steps in and saves us. I am tired of dates. I want only action now," said Vinaychand Hirawat, who has been on a fast since Monday.

Speaking to Firstpost, Nandini Mehta, a resident of the premises, said, “The builders are hand in glove with the civic body. It was even then and it is now. That has not changed.”