Decks cleared for powerboat race as civic body grants permission
After locking horns with the civic body over the international Grand Prix powerboat racing, the organisers on Thursday successfully obtained all the requisite permissions for the event. The event is set to take place from Friday till Sunday.
The organisers Procam International had to run from pillar to post to get all the clearances and this also included their ‘last minute’ application before the Bombay High Court on Thursday.
The organisers had approached a division bench presided over by Justice Shantanu Kemkar and Justice Prakash Naik.
In their application, the organisers had stated that the civic body and the high-power committee have refused to grant them permission. According to the organisers, the authorities refused to grant them permission owing to their ‘pending dues’ of an event which they organised in January 2017.
Senior counsel Vineet Naik appearing on behalf of the organisers, informed the bench that the authorities are mixing up two separate events.
He told the bench that the authorities must not link two events as another bench of HC has already reserved its orders over the previous event’s issue.
Naik said, “Till that matter is not decided, the authorities cannot take any coercive steps for recovery of the pending dues.”
On the other hand, senior counsel Anil Sakhre appearing for the civic body and high-power committee, stated that his clients would not reject the powerboat racing event’s application on the ground of pending dues.
Taking the statement on record, Justice Kemkar disposed of the application of the organisers. Justice Kemkar also directed the authorities to grant permission on merits and without getting influenced by the previous event’s issue.
Pursuant to the directions of the HC, Kiran Digavkar, the Assistant Municipal Commissioner (A ward) granted permission to the organisers to go ahead with the event, late in the evening.