Shiv Sena opposes demolishing Adarsh society building

Shiv Sena has opposed the demolition of the controversial Adarsh society in Colaba and suggested that the building should rather be used to house government offices. The Bombay high court last week held that the construction of 31-story Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society was illegal and directed the Union of India, ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) to demolish this illegal high-rise.

“Demolishing the Adarsh building is not the solution. Money, cement, water, steel and labour has been spent on constructing it. Why should it be wasted Action should be taken against those who did wrong things. But instead of demolishing the buildings, they should be used to house government offices. As it is the government departments are facing space crunch,” the editorial published in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana said.

The editorial further said that the “sensation” created by the high court’s demolition order might not last long as the Supreme Court may reverse the decision. “By now we are used to high courts reversing lower court’s orders,” the editorial said, adding that there were different yardsticks for the poor and the rich in this country.

The Sena also called for putting an end to the practice of influential people getting all the housing plots in South Mumbai while the common people struggle to get even Mhada houses in distant suburbs. The Saamana editorial said that all prime plots near Mantralaya and posh localities like Malabar Hill, Colaba, Bandra and Varsova have gone to judges, MLAs and MPs.

Besides ordering its demolition, the HC also imposed a fine of Rs 6 lakh on the society and asked government to act against bureaucrats and politicians who had sanctioned illegal construction.