MMRDA backs Adarsh society, says all permissions legal

Even as the chorus over improprieties in the Adarsh housing society scam grows louder, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), in an affidavit submitted to the Bombay high court last week, has stated that all the permissions, including the environmental clearance, given to Adarsh to construct the building in Colaba were legal. The authority has also said that the occupancy certificate (OC) was issued to the society because no violation of rules was found.

This submission is alarming as chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who has assured that those found guilty in the Adarsh scam will be severely dealt with, is also the chairman of MMRDA.

The affidavit has been filed in response to a case filed by members of the Adarsh society against the state government challenging its cancellation of the occupation certificate. P Yadav, an official of the authority, filed the affidavit on its behalf.

The 200-page document states the background and the entire history of all the clearances given to Adarsh to acquire the Colaba plot and build a housing society on it. A number of supporting documents such as copies of the coastal zone management plan (CZMP) and coastal regulation zone (CRZ) related clearances given to the society are also attached to the affidavit.

“Considering all these documents and after checking the validity of all permissions, it was confirmed that the construction of Adarsh was completely legal and there was no violation of rules,” says the affidavit.