Environment ministry to hear Adarsh society’s reply next week

NEW DELHI - The environment and forests ministry will next week hear the reply of Mumbais scam-hit Adarsh housing society to the show-cause notice issued for “unambiguously” violating coastal regulation zone (CRZ) laws, officials said Tuesday.

A hearing has been scheduled for Adarsh (society) next week. They have submitted the documents which are being considered, said a ministry official.

The society, in its letter dated Nov 24, had sought four weeks time from the ministry for filing its reply to the show-cause notice.

However, the ministry said that the request for four weeks was unreasonable and granted an extension of seven days.

In its notice Nov 12, the ministry asked the society why the 31-floor structure should not be demolished forthwith under section five of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

The scam relates to the controversial residential block built in Mumbais upscale Colaba locality and in the neighbourhood of naval establishments. Originally meant to be a six-storey apartment block for housing Kargil war heroes and widows, it was surreptitiously converted into a plush 31-storey building.

The society has over 100 members, including former service chiefs, senior serving army officials, bureaucrats, politicians and their kin.