Builder's petition adjourned

Builder's petition adjourned

The Hindu

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court has adjourned a petition from a construction company seeking the quashing of a notice issued by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) asking it to stop work on an apartment complex.

The petitioner, Magareth Property Developers, said an apartment building is being constructed on property No. 59 adjoining Mount Carmel College on Palace Road. It said officials from the BMP inspected the site and asked the company to stop work as environmental clearance has not been obtained for the project. The company sought a direction from the court to the BMP not to interfere with the construction and stay a notice asking it to stop construction.

The company said it has obtained licence for construction, and the BMP notice of August 20, 2005 asking it to stop construction is illegal and arbitrary.

In its statement of objections, the BMP said the company has violated norms and this came to light when officials inspected the site. It said a student of Mount Carmel College was killed in an accident involving a lorry carrying construction material from the site. After the accident, the Government directed the BMP to look into the issue. BMP officials visited the site and issued a notice to the company, citing several violations. The company approached the High Court, which asked the BMP to treat the notice as a show-cause notice and decide on the issue after giving the company an opportunity to present its case. The BMP said it heard the company's case on August 20, 2005 and asked it to stop construction as it has not obtained environmental clearance from the Centre. It said that as per the State Government guidelines of July 15, 2004, any building which is to accommodate more than 1,000 people, costs more than Rs. 50 crores, and discharges more than 50,000 litres of water must obtain environmental clearance from the Centre.

The petition was filed by Magareth Developers though the sanctioned plan for the project had been obtained by Medical Relief Society of South Kanara.