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NGT Bench fined Rs 3 crore 48 lakh to Dudhwala Group of Mumbai for its Rock Corner building project

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National Green Tribunal bench has ordered to file criminal cases against BMC officials for environmental degradation

MUMBAI: The National Green Tribunal Bench, Pune has ordered the developer Dudhwala Group of the Rock Corner building, at Belasis Road, near Bus Depot, Mumbai Central East, to pay the fine of Rs 3.48 crores within two months for granting construction permission to the said project from the Building Permit Department of Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC), without obtaining the permission of the Environment Department. The NGT bench has also instructed to file criminal charges against the municipal officials who granted construction permission to the developer. In its order NGT Bench said, “If the permission for construction was given wrongly, then conduct a departmental inquiry through the BMC Commissioner and publish the report on the MCGM and MPCB websites.

Environmental activist Sayyed Mohammad Sabir had requested the NGT Bench, Pune to demolish the unauthorized construction which is without environmental department permission and impose a penalty on the builder Dudhwala for constructing the Rock Corner building without obtaining necessary permission. Accordingly, National Green Tribunal, Pune bench had ordered to form a joint committee of five members and asked them to submit a joint report in this case. In this committee members comprises were Principal Secretary of Environment Department, Government of Maharashtra, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and Collector, Mumbai City and BMC Commissioner. The committee had inspected the site and submitted a report to the NGT Bench to fine the developer for environmental degradation.

The complainant filed a complaint with the Green Tribunal regarding the illegal and irregular construction without obtaining environmental clearance from the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) of the Government of Maharashtra and the consent of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) against the Dudhwala Group. The final hearing of the said application was held on January 12, 2023 before the Hon. Judge Dinesh Kumar Singh of Green Tribunal and Dr. Vijay Kulkarni, an Environmental Expert. The Green Tribunal Bench passed its final verdict on January 30. Also, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has ordered the payment of penalty amount within two months from the date of the environmental compensation order by breaking down separate figures for the environmental damage caused due to non-observance under the Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 since 2011.
A high-level committee was also constituted by National Green Tribunal. The said committee submitted its report. A clear finding of guilt was recorded. Taking this report into account, the bench gave this historic decision. In the said case, Adv. Nitin Lonkar, Adv. Sonali Suryavanshi, Adv. Tanaji Gambhire and Adv. Pradnya Bheke appeared / represented the environmental activist and complainant Sabir Syed.

Maharashtra

Protests not similar to ordering food from delivery apps: Shiv Sena blasts Rahul Gandhi

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Mumbai, Oct 12: Shiv Sena national spokesperson Shaina NC said on Monday that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, thinks protesting is equivalent to ordering food items on a delivery app.

“For Rahul Gandhi, calling for protests is similar to ordering food on delivery apps. Call someone to protest; create inconvenience for people every day,” Shaina said while commenting on the ongoing unrest in the national capital.

“Honourable Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant has said that the matter is sub judice; then why are you creating nuisance on the streets and not letting the court do its work?” she asked.

She added, “Rahul Gandhi lacks empathy and does not care about common people who would want to go to Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Mandi House, Secretariat, Barakhamba Road. They are getting affected.”

“The protestors don’t care about the Metros, traffic, security of the people,” she said.

She further said, “When the matter is in court, one must wait and respect the decision of the Supreme Court.”

Stressing the matter, she further said, “How long will you (Opposition) be able to mislead people through a false narrative? You are welcome to debate in the parliament, but don’t create chaos on the streets.”

Shaina further said that people are not attracted by names like ‘Thackeray’, ‘Gandhi’, and that the opposition has no vision, plans, or blueprints whatsoever.

On the detention of CJP leaders, Shaina said, “There is a stark difference between ‘detention’ and ‘arrest’. Everyone has the right to protest, but when it leads to unrest and riots, then the police will also have to take action.”

She praised the Delhi Police for not aggravating the protests, controlling the mobs and further protecting the common masses.

Reacting to PM Narendra Modi appeal to the country’s Gen Z to make use of the opportunities that come with Viksit Bharat and taking the world towards solutions, Shaina said that the Indian Gen Z are not the future but the ‘present’. With initiatives such as Startup India, MSME, and Lakhpati Didi, the PM has empowered all.

She further said that the youth of the nation should move forward in development and not indulge in chaos and unrest. Rather, one must understand that the need of the hour is education, security and ‘Atma-nirbharta’.

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Maharashtra

Maha CM accuses Rahul Gandhi, INDIA bloc of trying to weaken judiciary through protests

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Mumbai, Oct 12: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday launched a scathing attack on Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc, accusing them of executing a deliberate strategy to pressure and delegitimize India’s constitutional institutions, including the Supreme Court, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The Chief Minister’s strong reaction came as INDIA bloc leaders, led by Rahul Gandhi, staged a high-voltage march in New Delhi towards the Supreme Court.

The opposition leaders are demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of subverting electoral integrity and “robbing the nation”.

CM Fadnavis criticised the opposition for brandishing copies of the Constitution while systematically undermining constitutional bodies. He alleged that the current protests are part of an extreme far-left plot designed to reject Dr B R Ambedkar’s Constitution and breed public distrust against democratic systems.

Questioning the rationale behind marching to the apex court to force a meeting with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), CM Fadnavis asked, “Which section of the Constitution empowers a political march to demand an audience with the Chief Justice of India? Attempting to exert pressure on the Supreme Court is a direct insult to Dr Ambedkar’s Constitution.”

Drawing a sharp contrast, he invoked the 1975 Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He highlighted how the Congress regime then suspended fundamental rights and restricted citizens from approaching High Courts and the Supreme Court.

“We fought against constitutional tampering in 1975, and we will fight again today. We will never allow anyone to alter or tamper with Dr B R Ambedkar’s Constitution,” he declared.

CM Fadnavis asserted that Congress’s repeated electoral failures have driven it to resort to anarchy. He also pointed to instances during past agitations at Jantar Mantar, where social media algorithms were manipulated to spread chaos, noting that platforms like Meta later issued apologies over ad-driven content and missteps involving Prime Minister Modi’s posts.

He stated that Congress needs to stop blaming Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for its political setbacks and instead look inward at its failed leadership. “Congress needs to find the reasons for its failure not in EVMs, but in its own leadership. This is a rejected leadership that is repeatedly re-launched, only to fail every time,” he noted.

Emphasising Congress’s declining footprint, CM Fadnavis noted that key states across the nation have rejected the party for decades, including Tamil Nadu: 59 years, West Bengal: 50 years, Uttar Pradesh: 46 years, Sikkim: 42 years, Bihar: 36 years, Tripura: 33 years, Gujarat: 31 years and Madhya Pradesh & Odisha: 23+ years.

He added that across 18 states, voters have distanced themselves from Congress for decades, forcing the party to rely heavily on regional partners like the DMK, RJD, and BSP to survive.

He accused the opposition of systematically trying to instill distrust in the public mind regarding democratic institutions and the rule of law.

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Maharashtra

CM Fadnavis criticises protesters for targeting constitutional bodies; backs CJI’s stance

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Mumbai, Oct 12: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday launched a scathing attack on the opposition and activist groups, defending Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant’s decision to decline a meeting with protesters.

Speaking during a media interaction, he accused opposition parties and outfits of running a systematic design to undermine India’s core constitutional institutions and usher in an “ultra-Leftist” brand of anarchy.

Defending the CJI’s refusal to meet demonstrators, CM Fadnavis asked, “Which Constitution states that the Chief Justice of India should meet protesters and marchers?” He emphasised that the CJI acted well within his constitutional rights and praised the judiciary’s stance that grievances must be legally addressed inside courtrooms rather than through street pressure.

CM Fadnavis alleged that a well-crafted conspiracy is underway to systematically devalue independent pillars of democracy, such as the Supreme Court, the Election Commission, and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He noted that the ultimate goal of these groups is to convince citizens that constitutional frameworks cannot deliver justice.

Commenting on recent demonstrations, including those by the Congress and civil groups, CM Fadnavis distinguished between lawful democratic protest and chaos. Pointing to instances where crowds allegedly crossed the line with provocative sloganeering, he asserted that when thousands with criminal records mobilise to disrupt public order, it amounts to outright anarchy rather than peaceful dissent.

Addressing reports that certain protesters praised his governance style as “soft-hearted” to allow demonstrations, he dismissed the remarks as a tactical ploy. He stated he is not easily swayed by opportunistic flattery, pointing out that the intent behind such praise was merely a convenient vehicle to target higher offices.

Contrasting the current protests with constructive democratic engagement, CM Fadnavis highlighted his administration’s willingness to engage in dialogue with anyone — reiterating that even violent insurgent elements like Naxalites have been approached with attempts at reform and persuasion through democratic channels, rather than enabling lawlessness under the guise of activism.

CM Fadnavis’ comment comes after BJP National President Nitin Nabin targeted Opposition parties and youth groups leading protests in the national capital over electoral roll revisions and the Chief Election Commissioner’s accountability.

Nabin accused the INDIA bloc and youth organisations (such as the Cockroach Janta Party) of attempting to “destabilise the nation” after being rejected by voters in democratic elections. He alleged that the ongoing protests were being driven at the behest of “foreign forces” seeking to undermine domestic peace and economic development.

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