BJP leader Shaina NC questions BMC for targeting Campa Cola Society

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shaina NC on Monday questioned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) move to target the Campa Cola Society in Mumbai, when there were 56,000 other illegal buildings in the city.

"The irony of this situation is that as all the action is taken against Campa Cola, even now after being given an assurance that if the utilities are cut out, even then, the 67000 permissible FSI will be with the residents, the question that still remains in the residents' mind is that why only Campa Cola Society when there are 56000 buildings like this in the city if Mumbai," said Shaina.

Camp Cola Society residents had yesterday agreed to let the BMC cut power, water and gas supplies in the Supreme Court-declared illegal apartments.

The decision to end the 18-month-long stand-off came after Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithiraj Chavan assured the affected residents that if they cooperated with the law and the system, then he will definitely find a solution to their problem.

"We met the Chief Minister yesterday for the fifth time, and within an hour, he gave us an assurance that if the residents will comply with the authorities, then there will not be any contempt of court, and if it is not a contempt of court, then he could take opinion from the Attorney General and the Advocate General and then reach upon a conclusion so that the residents get the permissible FSI of 67000sq feet, and they don't face any problem," added Shaina.

The residents had on June 22 submitted a mercy petition to President Pranab Mukherjee to come up with a solution.

Political leaders from the BJP and the MNS have extended their sympathies to the residents' demand.

The BMC had filed a police complaint against the flat owners for trying to prevent officials from implementing the Supreme Court order to raze the illegal building.

The BMC was supposed to begin the building's demolition on Friday, by disconnecting power, water and gas supplies to all illegal flats. The residents, however, blocked the attempts of the authorities to enter the compound.