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Campa Cola: BMC officials return for 2nd day

by IBNS 20 Jun 2014, 10:57 pm

Mumbai, June 21 (IBNS) Facing protests by the Campa Cola society residents, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials returned for a second day on Saturday after being unable to start the eviction process.

The BMC brigade returned on Saturday to convince the residents of the Campa Cola society to agree for eviction even thoughBMC has filed a case against the Cola residents for  obstructing a public servant from performing his duty, said reports.

A standoff followed when the BMC came to evict the residents and the officials on Friday failed to begin the eviction process at the Campa Cola society here as residents blocked their way when they tried to enter the compound.

With the BMC set to start demolishing the 102  flats at the Campa Cola compound- armed with the Supreme Court order which called the construction illegal and had asked the  owners in Mumbai to vacate the premises by May 31, 2014- the residents on Friday said they would form human chains and try to stop the process.

Pertinently, the deadline for the residents to vacate their flats ended on Friday.

Meanwhile, the BMC will cut power, water and gas supply to the illegal flats on Friday.

The BMC said it will video record the entire eviction process and submit it to the Supreme Court as proof.

On June 3, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed against the eviction and demolition of 102 illegal flats in Mumbai'sCampa Cola society.

The apex court on May 30 had agreed to hear a fresh plea against in the Campa Cola society eviction case.

On Nov 19, 2013 the apex court had asked the illegal flats' owners at the Campa Cola Society in Mumbai to vacate the premises by May 31, 2014.

The apex court had directed the residents to produce a written undertaking within six weeks saying they would follow its orders.

It said that if no undertaking was provided, the BMC would be entitled to take action in accordance with the order of Feb 27, 2013.

The Supreme Court had earlier stayed the demolition of the flats at Campa Cola till May 31, 2014.

The Supreme Court on Nov 13, 2013 said it directed the BMC not to demolish the flats as there was an human angle to the issue.

The BMC earlier had called in bulldozers to demolish unauthorised flats at the compound of the Campa Cola housing society.

However, over 100 families of the society locked the main gate and refused to let in BMC officials, said reports.

On Oct 1, 2013 the Supreme Court had ordered Campa Cola society residents to vacate their 102 illegal flats by Nov 11, 2013. Only 10 out of them vacated the flats.