Mumbai:
Some 500 residents of illegal flats in Mumbai's Campa Cola society today barricaded themselves in to stop civic teams that arrived with cops to cut off water and power supply to prepare grounds for their eviction in keeping with a Supreme Court order.
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Residents shut the iron gates and put up bamboo poles to prevent officials from entering. A human chain led by women and children stood at the gate as other residents performed "pujas" and "havans".
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC said it won't use force on the residents and gave up after facing strong resistance. "Today we had come to cut off the water, power and gas lines of these illegal flats. We are contemplating lodging contempt of court against the residents," a BMC official said.
The civic body has videographed Friday's attempt to enter the society and may submit it as evidence for its failure to act in the Supreme Court.
The Campa Cola Society lost its plea in the apex court June 3 when it challenged its earlier order of Feb 27 to vacate the building by May 31.
The residents argue that they are being victimised for the fault of the builders and civic officials who colluded in violating rules to build 35 illegal floors. Renowned singer and Bharat Ratna recipient Lata Mangeshkar also owns a flat in the society.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said today, "The Supreme Court ruled that the flats should be demolished and no state authority should intervene. We need to be very strong."
In June last year, the Supreme Court had ordered families occupying the illegal flats to vacate the building by May. Their deadline to hand over the keys ended on June 12, but the residents then threatened to pitch tents in the complex.
The residents moved the Supreme Court to buy more time to help legalise their home of three decades. But the court on June 3 rejected their plea and ordered them to vacate their flats.
Seven high-rises were constructed at what came to be called the Campa Cola Compound, between 1981 and 1989. The builders had permission for only five floors, but constructed several more. The residents have been fighting a legal battle since 2000, when they first went to the Bombay High Court to legalise their water and power supply.
The Campa Cola society's battle, reflecting the housing struggles of Mumbai's middle class, has been an emotive rallying point for politicians over the years and is likely to get more play ahead of the Maharashtra state polls later this year. "Why single out Campa Cola when there are thousands of illegal buildings in Mumbai? The government is not responsive," said the BJP's Shaina NC, who joined in the protests today.
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