Supreme Court has stayed the demolition of the unauthorised construction carried out in the Campa Cola compound. A number of innocent and not so innocent residents, men, women, old and young have been given at least a temporary reprieve from being uprooted from their residence. A few questions which arise in our mind which I would like to enumerate.
1. How can so many floors be constructed with utter disregard and contempt of the prevailing law.
2. Obviously the authorities are hand in glove with the builders and developers for not preventing the illegal construction in the first place and secondly for allowing such a blatant and patent illegality to occur under their very nose. Will any action taken against the authorities who turned a blind eye towards such open violation of law? or will the authorities and the Courts just set an example of these unfortunate people who had the misfortune to purchase their properties in the unauthorised building.
3. Did the residents purchase the flats in the building disregarding the facts with full knowledge?
4. Did the residents purchase the flats in the building without bothering to find the true picture about the legality of the structures?
5. Did the residents assume that such a blatant violation of law will ultimately be condoned and ignored taking in to consideration equity and the inconvenience that may be faced by the authorities.
6. Why should Campa Cola Compound irregularity be selected for demolition?
7. How many other illegal and irregular buildings and structures exist which can be said to be comparable to Campa Cola?
8. Should all such structures and illegalities be regularised or demolished?
9. Should there be any discrimination between the poor and the rich, majority community and minority community while taking a decision to initiate action against such structures?
10.What about the multi-storied illegal and unauthorised slums that have sprouted in the city of Mumbai in which millions of poor live? Should action not be taken against the persons responsible for permitting such slums to be created since last so many years? Is it not vote bank politics which is responsible for creation and existence of such slum pockets all over the urban landscapes particularly in Mumbai.
11. What about the illegal and unauthorised extensions and expansion of legal structures which happen day in and day out in every building of every area in Mumbai. Should these unauthorised extensions and encroachments also not be removed and demolished?
Will our authorities act with an even and just hand and will we all be able to experience real equality before law?
1. How can so many floors be constructed with utter disregard and contempt of the prevailing law.
2. Obviously the authorities are hand in glove with the builders and developers for not preventing the illegal construction in the first place and secondly for allowing such a blatant and patent illegality to occur under their very nose. Will any action taken against the authorities who turned a blind eye towards such open violation of law? or will the authorities and the Courts just set an example of these unfortunate people who had the misfortune to purchase their properties in the unauthorised building.
3. Did the residents purchase the flats in the building disregarding the facts with full knowledge?
4. Did the residents purchase the flats in the building without bothering to find the true picture about the legality of the structures?
5. Did the residents assume that such a blatant violation of law will ultimately be condoned and ignored taking in to consideration equity and the inconvenience that may be faced by the authorities.
6. Why should Campa Cola Compound irregularity be selected for demolition?
7. How many other illegal and irregular buildings and structures exist which can be said to be comparable to Campa Cola?
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| Building under Demolition |
9. Should there be any discrimination between the poor and the rich, majority community and minority community while taking a decision to initiate action against such structures?
10.What about the multi-storied illegal and unauthorised slums that have sprouted in the city of Mumbai in which millions of poor live? Should action not be taken against the persons responsible for permitting such slums to be created since last so many years? Is it not vote bank politics which is responsible for creation and existence of such slum pockets all over the urban landscapes particularly in Mumbai.
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| Multi-storied Slums (Bandra East and West, Mumbai) |
11. What about the illegal and unauthorised extensions and expansion of legal structures which happen day in and day out in every building of every area in Mumbai. Should these unauthorised extensions and encroachments also not be removed and demolished?
Will our authorities act with an even and just hand and will we all be able to experience real equality before law?
