Another Adarsh? Worli towers built without green clearance

MUMBAI: The two housing societies in Worli proposed, built and occupied by state politicians were constructed without mandatory environmental clearances, just like the controversial Adarsh society.

Both the 32-storey Shubhada and 14- storey Sukhada fall in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) II as they are located within 500 metres of the high tide line. This made it mandatory for the societies to get clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Management Zone Authority (MCZMA).

Documents with HT show that after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation rejected the proposal to construct theses societies in 1997 for lack of a no objection certificate (NOC) from the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF), the societies approached the state’s urban development department instead of going to MCZMA. Subsequently, in 2003- 04, the UDD, which is headed by the chief minister, issued an NOC.

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