Uphill task to preserve hill station

MAHABALESHWAR, May 28: Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), has filed a writ petition in the Mu...

MAHABALESHWAR, May 28: Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), has filed a writ petition in the Mumbai High Court seeking the demolition of all the illegal constructions in the Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani region and revocation of all licences and permissions to eating houses in any illegal portion of such structures.

The petitioners, BEAG and its honorary secretary Shyam Chainani in his individual capacity, have also sought the high court’s directive to the state government to stop granting permissions for constructions of ostensible farm houses on uncultivated agricultural lands.

The petitioners are seeking to challenge the rampant illegal constructions and deforestation in the Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani region.

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“Over the last several years, the hill stations of Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani have become victims of rampant illegal construction and building activity resulting in large scale deforestation and environmental degradation,” the petitioners submitted.

The petitioners claim that they and other concerned citizens have been writing to various authorities to draw their attention to the large scale deforestation that has taken place as well as illegal constructions that have come up in the region.

Though the collector of Satara had initiated some action, the petitioners submitted that not enough is being done to safeguard Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani region from the environmental and ecological degradation and destruction.The BEAG has cited large scale violations of the Regional Plan of Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani 1984-2001, of building bye-laws and development control rules of Mahabaleshwar Hill Station Municipal Council and that of the Indian Forest Act,1927, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the Maharashtra Feeling of Trees (Regulation) Act, 1964 and an order of the Supreme Court on December 12, 1996 in which the apex court has prohibited all non-forest activity in forest.

The petitioners have also complained against large scale use of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes such as hotels, holiday homes and luxurious private bungalows under the guise of farm houses in violation of the provisions of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, and in contravention of the National Land Use Policy, 1988, and the National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and Development.

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The petitioners have asked for demolishing the illegal constructions of the respondents carried out in violation of the Regional Plan for Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani. They seek to ensure that no additional FSI is given to any construction in the region.

They also demand cancellation of all licences and permissions granted to restaurants and eating houses located in structures constructed illegally. They also wish to ensure that the forest area in and around Mahabaleshwar is protected from further destrution by strict implementation of the SC order dated December 12, 1996.