Lavasa: Prithviraj Chavan’s intervention illegal, says NGO

Lambasting hints given by Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan about regularising the 681 hectares of land occupied without environmental clearances by the Lavasa Corporation, the National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM) has said that such a move is a legal impossibility.

According to NAPM activists, the CM’s intervention is a very serious breach of law.

“It is unacceptable that the chief minister intervened and interfered in the legal course otherwise taken by the MoEF as well as the state level authorities once they realised the mistake or the fraud committed by themselves earlier. The chief minister has passed his remarks only after his meetings with Ajit Gulabchand, the main planner and director, and Supriya Sule, politician-cum-former shareholder of Lavasa Corporation. What does it indicate?” the statement asks.

The organisation has also demanded an explanation on how the Lavasa project has pushed through alleged illegalities such as Special Planning Authority status, grab of Krishna River valley land, diversion of forest land without sanction etc.

“Lavasa must be declared an illegal entity, the structure demolished as per the only legal option or strictly used for public purposes and no further work or sanction for the 25,000-acre land project be granted,” concludes the statement.