Residents protesting at the gate of the Campa Cola society in Mumbai on Saturday
The officials of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have reached the Campa Cola society for the third today to cut the power and water supply to residents living in the illegal flats there. For two days, BMC officials have been facing stiff resistance from residents who are not allowing them to enter the compound to carry out eviction in keeping with a Supreme Court order.
The residents have now written to President Pranab Mukherjee hoping for a presidential pardon.
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In their appeal to the President, the residents have mentioned about the ageing population living in the society. They have also suggested ways to legalise the structure. The President is expected to reply tomorrow.
The BMC officials, meanwhile, are unmoved. "We are trying to convince them for the past two days but they are protesting. They are interrupting our work, it's a big mistake that they are making. We can use force but we want to convince them but if they resist then we will have to use force," BMC Deputy Commissioner Anand Waghlekar said today.
The BMC has given these residents some more time to open the gate of the society. The civic body has maintained that they will only cut supplies to basic utilities and won't carry out any demolition.
The residents, led by women, have barricaded themselves for the past two days at the society's gate. They are demanding more time from the officials. The BMC has registered a case with the Mumbai police against residents of the society for obstructing the public servants from discharging their duties on Friday.
The Campa Cola Society lost its plea in the top court on June 3 when it challenged its earlier order of February 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.
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 has also joined the protests.
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