Latest news with #TanajiGambhire
Time of India
19-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Pune: Joy of riverfront living ends in rubble as PCMC demolishes 36 villas near Indrayani river, owners face Rs 5 crore penalty
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Saturday demolished 36 bungalows built under the 'River Villa' project in Chikhali. The structures, spread over 1.8 acres, were located within the blue flood line of the Indrayani river. The action followed a July 2024 order by the National Green Tribunal ( NGT ), which also directed PCMC to recover Rs 5 crore from the owners as environmental damage compensation (EDC). PCMC Demolition followed multiple court orders The bungalows were constructed over the past three to four years. Owners had purchased the plots between May and December 2021. City activist and lawyer Tanaji Gambhire filed a petition with the NGT in 2020, challenging the project on environmental grounds. The NGT ruled against the owners. In August last year, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal from the owners, stating that the NGT had committed no error. A further plea by the developer on the EDC issue was also dismissed by the apex court on May 5 this year. On Friday, the owners filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court, seeking re-demarcation of the flood line and a stay on demolition. The court refused interim relief and scheduled a hearing for June 9. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Heavy police presence, demolition with video documentation The PCMC anti-encroachment department carried out the demolition early Saturday with 16 excavators and police deployment. Commissioner Shekhar Singh said the civic body began public announcements on May 13 and disconnected water and power supply to the bungalows. "We began making public announcements in the area on May 13, asking residents to vacate the premises. Their water and electricity connections had been disconnected," he said. Most residents had removed their belongings before the action. Singh added, "We recorded videos of every house demolished for documentation." He also stated that residents were given enough legal opportunity. 'Even on Friday, their lawyers approached the high court seeking a stay on the action, but the court declined to grant interim relief.' Live Events Residents still own plots, but no construction allowed A senior civic official said that while 29 owners had moved the Supreme Court, the NGT's July 2024 order applied to all illegal constructions in the blue flood line area. "Following this directive, the civic body identified and razed a total of 36 such structures," the official said. Though ownership of the land remains with the property holders, further construction on the plots is banned. PCMC is now working on recovering the ₹5 crore penalty. 'We will implement the NGT's directive, and the penalty will be recovered from the owners as soon as possible,' Singh said, urging prospective buyers to verify legal documents before purchasing any property.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Time of India
Pimpri Chinchwad civic body demolishes 36 illegal bungalows built within Indrayani river flood line in Chikhali
1 2 3 Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation on Saturday pulled down 36 unauthorised bungalows constructed under the 'River Villa' project spread over 1.8 acre within the blue flood line of the Indrayani river in Chikhali . The action was taken in compliance with the National Green Tribunal 's (NGT) July 1, 2024, order that directed the civic body to demolish the structures and recover Rs5 crore from the owners in environmental damage compensation (EDC). City activist and lawyer Tanaji Gambhire had in 2020 filed a petition in the tribunal against the bungalows built in violation of environmental norms. Last Aug, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal filed by the owners challenging the NGT order and said that the green tribunal did not commit any error in law or fact. Later, the developer approached the apex court on the issue of EDC, and the court ordered a status quo until this plea was decided. However, on May 5, the SC dismissed the developer's plea. The owners exhausted their last attempt to save their homes on Friday after they moved Bombay high court, but it refused to grant an interim stay on the proposed PCMC exercise. Amid heavy police presence, the civic anti-encroachment department began the demolition around 7am on Saturday with 16 excavators. Most of the bungalows were two- and three-storey residential structures, built over the past three to four years. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 빠진 치아 있다면? 1개도 10개도 개당 33만원에 임플란트 해드려요 플란치과 더 알아보기 Undo The owners purchased the plots in May and Dec 2021 through sale deeds from the developer and later constructed the structures. PCMC commissioner Shekhar Singh told TOI that residents were informed in advance of the scheduled action. "We began making public announcements in the area on May 13, asking residents to vacate the premises. Their water and electricity connections had been disconnected." Most of the residents had removed their movable items, and there was no resistance from owners, he said. "We recorded videos of every house demolished for documentation." Singh further said that the owners were provided with an opportunity to avail all the legal remedies. "Even on Friday, their lawyers approached the high court seeking a stay on the action, but the court declined to grant interim relief." On Friday, the lawyers appearing for the bungalow owners sought an urgent hearing of a writ petition requesting a re-demarcation of the flood line along the Indrayani river and a directive restraining PCMC from taking coercive action until the re-survey was completed. The court refused to pass any interim order and scheduled the matter for a hearing on June 9. A senior civic official said while 29 bungalow owners approached the Supreme Court last year, the NGT in its July 1 order last year clearly directed that all illegal structures within the blue flood line in the area — not just the 29 — be pulled down. "Following this directive, the civic body identified and razed a total of 36 such structures." According to civic officials, the plots are still owned by the property holders, but no construction will be permitted on them. Commissioner Singh said the civic body was currently working on a mechanism to recover the Rs5 crore EDC from the owners. "We will implement the NGT's directive, and the penalty will be recovered from the owners as soon as possible," he said, urging people to verify all the documents and status of properties before making a purchase.
New Indian Express
17-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Civic authorities raze 36 illegal bungalows on bank of Indrayani River near Pune
PUNE: Civic authorities in Pimpri Chinchwad near Pune on Saturday demolished 36 bungalows built illegally along the Indrayani River, an official said. Acting on the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), officials and personnel from the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), along with a heavy police presence, reached the River Villa project site in Chikhali village in the morning, he said. Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh said the civic body razed the bungalows as demolition drives cannot be carried out during the monsoon. Activist Tanaji Gambhire, who had moved the NGT against the project, said the villas were constructed along the Indrayani river's blue flood line, where development activities are prohibited. A blue line represents the level of flooding likely to occur in a river once in 25 years. In July 2024, the NGT had ordered the civic body to demolish all 36 structures within six months. The green court had also directed that Rs 5 crore be collected collectively from the bungalow owners as environmental damage compensation. The PCMC subsequently initiated the process and began hearings for the bungalow owners. Meanwhile, 29 bungalow owners approached the Supreme Court, but the apex court rejected their appeal. The land and bungalow owners then approached the NGT to review its order. However, the NGT also rejected their review petition, an official said. After receiving no relief from the NGT, the property owners again moved the Supreme Court.
The Print
17-05-2025
- General
- The Print
Civic authorities raze 36 illegal riverside bungalows in Pimpri Chinchwad
Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh said the civic body has started razing the bungalows as demolition drives cannot be carried out during the monsoon season. Officials and personnel from the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) reached the site in Chikhali village in the morning, he said. Pune, May 17 (PTI) Civic authorities in the Pimpri Chinchwad suburb of Pune district on Saturday started demolishing 36 bungalows built illegally along the Indrayani River, an official said. He said, 'Owners of the land and bungalows had again approached the Supreme Court against the order passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). However, it disposed of their petition on May 4 and directed the PCMC to implement the order to demolish these structures.' Tanaji Gambhire, a local environmental activist, had moved the NGT against the River Villa project, citing that the bungalows were constructed within the blue line, an area adjacent to a riverbank where development activities are not permitted. The project by M/s Jare World and M/s V Square is in Chikhali village. On July 1, 2024, the NGT ordered the PCMC to demolish the illegal structures and collect Rs 5 crore as environmental damage compensation from the bungalow owners and other parties involved. The municipal commissioner said the civic body will also collect Rs 5 crore from the bungalow owners as environmental damage compensation soon. PTI SPK ARU This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
