BMC continues to be stubborn against Campa Cola Compound

Mumbai, May 8, 2014:

The residents of the Campa Cola Compound are faced with a demolition order to be executed on May 31st, 2014, and have been trying to save their homes over the last year.

Yesterday in the Standing Committee meeting a senior BMC official stated that they had not been directed to find a solution on humanitarian grounds by the Supreme Court.

However Campa Cola compound residents today released documents that reveal that the BMC was fully aware of the Supreme Court directive, but they were unwilling to find a solution to the impasse.

In fact the Advocate General representing BMC and the Advocate for Campa Cola have exchanged correspondence to this effect.

Even during the last hearing SC asked BMC advocate if they had any amicable solution to be arrived at. And BMC demonstrated its stubborn attitude by saying “they are not part of any proposed solution in form and substance.”

“It is very unfortunate that BMC officials continue to deny any knowledge of the Supreme Court directive while on the contrary the correspondence proves the dialogue between the advocates and BMC was intent on putting up roadblocks at every stage to scuttle the whole exercise,” said Nandini Mehta resident campa cola.

The residents have so far been very cooperative and complied with every request from government authorities. They have even submitted documents to prove they have obtained deemed conveyance from the competent authority, but this is also being challenged by the BMC.

Brief Background: The Campa Cola compound apartments were constructed on land leased to Pure Drinks Ltd in 1955, which was permitted by B.M.C in 1980 to develop it for residential purposes. Pure Drinks along with unscrupulous builders, Yusuf Patel, B.K. Gupta and P.S.B Construction Co erected seven buildings, two of which were high-rise buildings of 17 and 20 stories. During the construction period, the authorities issued notices to the builders to stop work. The builders were fined and they paid the penalty and resumed work. After the construction was completed nobody prevented the buyers from occupying their apartments or the buildings from forming co-operative housing societies.

Unaware of these violations, the residents bought the apartments believing that they would get the occupation certificates in due course, as was the norm 25 years ago. Since 2005 the residents have been in litigation with B.M.C. trying to defend their homes and save their families from being thrown on the streets.

Letter from Mr. G.E. VAHANVATI, Attorney General of India to Mr.

Mukul, Advocate for Campa Cola on 24 th Jan, 2014

Mr. Mukul, Advocate for Campa Cola responds to Mr. G.E. VAHANVATI,

Attorney General of India on 30 th Jan, 2014

Mr. G.E. Vahanti, Attorney General of India denies to cooperate with the residents and asks us to provide an alternative solution to save our homes.

As suggested by Mr. G.E. Vahanvati, the Campa Cola residents, writes a 4 page letter to

the Honourable Municipal Commissioner, MCGM sighting out a few suggestions from their end…Page 1

…Page 2

…Page 3

…Page 4

On 2 nd March, 2014 - The Counsel of MCGM, rejects the suggestions, “Ownership of the

Plot” being the reasonOn 8 th March, 2014 – The residents respond to the MCGM with a

proof, which clearly mentions that “The Campa Owns the Plot”…Page 1

…Page 2A reminder is sent to the MCGM Counsel on 11 th March, 2014 which also went

unanswered

THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION CONTINUES

TO BE STUBBORN AGAINST CAMPA COLA COMPOUND

#SaveCampaCola