Builders asked to pay Rs 1.25L for room built on forest land

A consumer forum here has ordered two builders to pay Rs 1.25 lakh compensation to a complainant for selling a room in a chawl made on forest land.
In their recent order, Thane District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum president Umesh Jhavalikar and member N D Kadam asked builders Naresh Pandurang More and Santosh Yadu Bhilare of 'Shree Samarth Krupa Builders' to pay Rs 1.25 lakh and also return Rs 2.50 lakh taken from the complainant for selling the room in the chawl built by them at Achole village of Virar in 2010.
According to the complainant, Vency John Fernandes, she had bought the room in the chawl for Rs 2.50 lakh from the builders, but it was razed by the forest department later in the same year, for encroachment.

After she complained to the builders in this regard, they gave her a cheque of Rs 1 lakh which was dishonoured by the bank, she told the forum.
Holding the builders responsible for financial loss and mental harassment caused to Fernandes, the forum asked them to pay her compensation and the property purchase amount.