In a big relief for residents of Chikhali in Maharashtra’s Pune district, the Supreme Court has stayed until February 10 the National Green Tribunal’s order to raze 29 bungalows constructed allegedly in violation of environmental laws. The residents and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation have been asked to submit their responses.
“We were supposed to demolish the 29 bungalows on Saturday. But two days ago the Supreme Court stayed the NGT order and asked us to file our response. We will file our response in February,” PCMC City Engineer Makrand Nikam told The Indian Express.
The 29 bungalows were allegedly built within the blue floodline area, a no-construction zone along the Indrayani river, which flows through the borders of Pimpri-Chinchwad. Residents argued they were unaware of the environmental violation.
NGT had ruled that the bungalows should be demolished by December 31.
Describing the SC ruling as a major relief for residents, Mahesh Patil, a petitioner, said, “We are extremely grateful to the Supreme Court for saving our families from being thrown onto the street. If our homes had been demolished, we would have had no place to live. The bungalows have been constructed with our sweat and toil. We saved every penny for a decent place to live.”
Patil said their homes were built five years ago. “In the Supreme Court, our lawyers denied all allegations that the project had changed the course of the river or that debris had been put in the river, which has reduced the size of the river. Nothing of this sort has happened. When we invested in the project, we had no idea that the area fell within the blue line zone of the river. For no fault of ours, we shouldn’t be penalised, or we will have nowhere to go,” he said.
Another resident Vinay Bhaik said, ”We wholeheartedly welcome the stay on demolition. If the SC had not come to or rescue, I would have been force to take the extreme step. I don’t think I would have survived. Where will I take my family ? I have no other house…’ Bhaik said he had invested Rs 70 lakh in the project. ”From buying land to constructing the house, I invested all my savings including my PF. I am now working as a supervisor to support my family. I have no savings,” he said, adding that he was hopeful the SC will overturn the NGT order in February.
Vijay Gore, another petitioner, said, ”Not just me, all of us have heaved a huge sigh of relief. We thank the SC for giving a stay order. At the same time, we are all hopeful that SC will render justice.”
Mahesh Patil added, ”The allegations levelled against us in the NGT pertained to violations of green laws. We have not cut any trees and neither have we dumped debris in the river. The complainant against us made the allegations. We would have been happy if the NGT bench had itself investigated the allegations. Anyways, now we are looking at SC to provide us the respite.”
The residents said PCMC had failed to draw the new blue floodline. ”Every 25 years, the civic body is supposed to redraw the blue floodline. The last time PCMC drew the blue floodline was in 1989, and after it did not. This year we had record rainfall, but the river water did not touch the walls of any of our houses,” he said.
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