Govt's sympathy is with Campa Cola Compound residents: Maha CM

Prithviraj Chavan said an ordinance to nullify the SC order was also being considered

Soon after the Supreme Court stayed the demolition of Campa Cola Compound in Mumbai till May 31, 2014, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said his government's "sympathy" is with its residents and it will consider legal options available.

Chavan said serious violations were committed in raising the building and the previous SC judgement, ordering the illegal structure's demolition, was very harsh as it asked no state authorities to interfere with its order for razing the flats.

In a signal that the state government could explore legal possibilities to help out its residents, he said an ordinance to nullify the SC order was also being considered.

"The resident have got some relief... Our sympathy lay with them," he told media personnel.

On the road ahead, he said the state government would take legal opinions and said the Attorney General of India, Goolam Vahanvati, was also Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's lawyer and could chip in with legal help.

He had also asked the urban development department to look into various aspects of violations of building laws and fix accountability for them, he said.

Quoting media reports, Chavan said residents bought flats in the society knowing well that they were built illegally because their price was way below market rates.

Taking suo motu cognisance of protests by residents as BMC demolition squad arrived at their door step, the SC stopped the demolition till May 31 next year.