After MiD DAY's expose on irregularities in MIDC land redevelopment and slum rehab by Ackruti City owner Vimal Shah, who is the president-elect of realty body MCHI, experts ask for reconsidering the decision
After MiD DAY's expose on irregularities in MIDC land redevelopment and slum rehab by Ackruti City owner Vimal Shah, who is the president-elect of realty body MCHI, experts ask for reconsidering the decision
The MIDC-Ackruti slum rehabilitation scam, exposed and reported extensively by MiD DAY, has now caught up with the owner of construction firm Ackruti City.
A rising chorus of voices within and from outside the real estate industry seem to be shying away from supporting him as the next president of the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI), the premium body of real estate developers in Mumbai and the state.
Tall order: A letter from the real estate industry urges MCHI president
Paras Gundecha to rethink having Vimal Shah, the owner of construction
firm Ackruti City, as its president-elect. file pic
A letter from an industry insider urges MCHI to rethink having Vimal Shah as its president-elect.
K V Satyamurthy, founder and president of Federation of Accommodation Industry of India, dispatched the letter, addressed to MCHI President Paras Gundecha, via e-mail. The letter states that certain investigative stories by MiD DAY clearly show the damaging impact of the scandal on the real estate industry. "Certain news items casting allegations on the president-elect of MCHI are shocking. Kindly convene a meeting of the managing committee and reconsider the candidature of Vimal Shah," said Satyamurthy, adding, "Certain rules and regulations should be laid down by the body for a clean and effective real estate industry."
Follow the code
Even others associated with realty have told this newspaper that they want the management to reconsider the decision. "There are a few members, who after the series of articles on Ackruti, have decided to speak to the incumbent president to discuss on the issue. It's better if the issue is resolved now. What is the use of having a code of conduct or talk of morality if we ourselves are not going to follow it," said a builder.
u00a0
In September, just before their property exhibition, MCHI had laid down certain mandatory regulations to be followed by every member of the body. According to the body, the code of conduct was formed to ensure that every builder and promoter maintains honour of the profession. It also read that if any member was found
violating the code, the matter would be referred to the Redresser committee. ('Now, code of conduct to govern builders', September 16, MiD DAY).
Paras Gundecha
MCHI prez speaks
Paras Gundecha, president, MCHI, who was present at the conference where the code of conduct was released, however, said that the accusations did not warrant any such action.
"These are simply allegations, nothing has been proven. There are allegations against Anna Hazare and Sonia Gandhi, but that doesn't mean they should be removed from their posts or face action. It's a personal matter. How can we ask the builder to give us an explanation? We only deal with complaints brought to us by customers against any builder," Gundecha said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
