20 January,2022 07:53 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
The now demolished turf on the plot
The Mumbai Suburban Collector has issued a notice to the Panchsheel Pratisthan Trust and cancelled its agreement with MHADA to run a gym on the authority's land at Mahavir Nagar in Kandivli West. The Collector's office found that the land was used for commercial purposes and a turf was constructed on it to play cricket, football and other sports, for which Rs 1,500-Rs 2,500 was charged per user. MLC Vijay Girkar, who promotes the Trust, however, claimed there is no turf there and he is yet to receive the notice.
The District Planning Officer of Mumbai Suburban Bhushan Deshpande issued an order on January 3, to cancel the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority's (MHADA) agreement with the Trust and take back the half acre plot that was leased to it after finding many violations. The Collector's office is the deciding authority for handing MHADA plots. The plot houses the Kranti Jyoti Savitribai Udyan.
The fitness academy which allegedly runs the gym on the MHADA plot in Kandivli leased to the Panchsheel Pratishthan Trust
Speaking to mid-day, Deshpande said, "We found many violations by the Panchsheel Pratisthan Trust and issued an order to discontinue the agreement with it. Now MHADA will take back the land in its custody. The land was illegally used for commercial purposes."
According to an activist, MHADA handed over the land to Panchsheel Pratisthan Trust in 2021 to run a gym for people on no profit no loss basis. However, he has alleged that the trust rented the plot to a private fitness academy to run the gym, which took R16,000 for membership per year. In 2018 the trust also set up a turf that occupied 15%-20% of the land, but it was demolished in June 2021.
Panchsheel Pratisthan Trust is allegedly promoted by the BJP MLC Vijay Girkar. Speaking to mid-day, Girkar, however, said he has not received any notice. He also claimed to have built the gym. He said, "Now there is no turf on the MHADA land. I used the MLC fund and constructed a gym on this land and people benefitted from it and the money was not wasted. I haven't received this order to hand over the plot to MHADA."
According to Government Rules (GR) number-8 if someone misuses allotted land and there is any violation on it, immediately the agreement should be discontinued and in future it will never be given to the same trust. As per rules, the MHADA plot should also not have been used for commercial purposes. It is only for the use of the general people on no profit no loss basis. No alteration or illegal construction is allowed on the premises. No religious or commercial functions are allowed. No political functions are allowed. If any condition is violated, the agreement will be terminated.
As per the agreement, it was given to the Panchsheel Pratishthan Trust from July 23, 2018 to July 22, 2021. However, in these 3 years, many violations were found by MHADA, but on June 10, 2021 Girkar gave an application to the collector to extend the terms. The agreement was extended from August 2, 2021 to August 1, 2024 by the former suburban collector Milind Borikar.
On November 2, 2021 MHADA issued a letter to the suburban collector stating the plot was misused for commercial purposes by the Panchsheel Pratisthan Trust. Nilesh Madane, executive engineer, MHADA said, "We sent the letter to the collector to get the agreement cancelled. Now this plot will be given to another trust by the collector who has the authority for the same. The trust was involved in many violations regarding the plot."
Reji Abraham, president of United Association for Social Educational and Public Welfare Trust said, "Following our complaints to MHADA and the Collector objecting to the renewal of the trust's lease due to earlier recorded notices, etc. Bhushan Deshpande cancelled the agreement."
"But till date, no action was taken against the fitness academy on the plot. It is earning lakhs of rupees per month due to the vested political patronage of MLC Vijay Girkar. Officials are acting under political pressure," Abraham added.
