Was the controversial bungalow drawing illegal power for four years?
7 Jan, 2014
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Bombay High Court against the illegal construction of a glass house, boundary wall and five other structures surrounding the bungalow situated off Palm Beach Road in Belapur, Navi Mumbai. On hearing the case, the court had directed the government agencies to demolish the illegal construction built on the No Development Zone plot belonging to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).
Recently, an application was filed with the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. (MSEDCL) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by Sandeep Thakur seeking to get the details of power supplied to the controversial bungalow. The reply from the MSEDCL states that the power supply to the bungalow began on April 20, 2012 and was permanently disconnected on August 13, 2013 after the HC directive to pull down the bungalow.
However, the activists contended that the building was operational since 2008 and the locals have witnessed several meetings of a minister with the police and government officials in the building. They expressed their suspicion that if there was no electricity given to the bungalow, it might have drawn power illegally for four years. Hence, the activists have demanded probe into the matter.