There doesn't seem to be much hope for residents of Borivli (East) who have, over the past year, helplessly watched an illegal community hall come up next to a mosque in a no-development zone.
There doesn't seem to be much hope for residents of Borivli (East) who have, over the past year, helplessly watched an illegal community hall come up next to a mosque in a no-development zone.
Funded by a 'people's representative' himself, Pravin Darekar, former MNS MLA and now BJP member, and built by the Ahle-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat Trust, the structure is ready for inauguration.
While residents, in all probability, expect nothing from civic authorities, who, they say, have ignored their pleas and appeals for taking action against the illegality, they shouldn't pin hopes on their MP either. According to a large banner hung outside the structure for the past month, BJP leader Gopal Shetty has been invited to cut the ribbon.
While Shetty, when asked, denied his presence, claiming that he has received complaints from residents about the illegality, the question remains how then it came to be announced on the banner without his consent and why, if he is not going to be present, has the banner not been taken down.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials have remained mute spectators, residents have alleged.
"Right from the BMC's R-central ward office to the police and political representatives, all gave us assurances of action but did nothing. They just made us run from one office to the other. In fact, they threatened us with action, saying we were creating a law and order situation by protesting against this," said a resident from the area.
Initially, even government authorities tried to show that Darekar was bearing the construction cost from his MLA fund. However, reply to an RTI query revealed that the structure was illegal and that the Maharashtra Housing Area and Development Authority (Mhada) had not approved any fund for it. Darekar claimed to have spent Rs20 lakh from the MLA fund on the construction, but an MLA can't use funds for any such activity without Mhada's consent.
Darekar said, "The community people approached me for financial help. I had written a letter to Mhada but it refused to approve funding. So, I extended help by seeking financial assistance from my friends. But if the structure is illegal, I will not stop authorities from demolishing it. Whether a structure is legal or illegal is the lookout of those constructing it."
The trust had submitted assessment receipts, claiming to have been paying tax on the hall since 1963, but documents with charity commissioner show that the trust itself came into existence in 1985, clearly showing that the receipts were not of the trust.
"Darekar funded the structure because elections were approaching (dna had done a story on October 10, 2014). The land on which the structure has been constructed is not owned by the trust. How can a public representative support such a structure?" questioned another resident.
Assistant commissioner of R-central ward Kishore Gandhi said, "The trust has submitted documents on the structure, which we have sent for verification. If they are verified as untrue, the designated officer will issue orders and action will be taken."
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