The Times of India 12.07.2013
20 illegal structures demolished in Shindewadi
PUNE: About a month after a woman and her one-and-a-half-year-old child were washed away in the rain water flowing down the hills at Shindewadi, the district administration on Thursday demolished several illegal structures and encroachments made on hills near the new Katraj tunnel on the Pune-Bangalore highway.
The tragedy hit the Wadekar family of Aundh on June 6 when 30-year-old Vishakha Sachin Wadekar and her daughter Sanskruti were washed away in the heavy flow of water. While Vishakha's body was found the same day, Sanskruti's body could be found after a week-long search some distance away from the spot of accident.
After the accident, the district administration had conducted a survey of the area and found that the accident was caused because of encroachments on the hill at Shindewadi. The tehsildar of Bhor then lodged a police complaint against Kisan Rathod and his brother Pandit Rathod, owner of the constructions, with the Rajgad police station. The administration had then imposed a fine of Rs 56.67 lakh on Kisan and a fine of Rs 12.71 lakh on Pandit Rathod.
"They (Rathods) had approached the civil court and sought a stay on the administration's dicision. After the court vacated the stay on Wednesday, we decided to carry out the action. About 20 small shops and office structures were demolished in the action taken on Thursday. The district administration had earlier demolished some structures in the area," said additional collector Ganesh Patil while speaking to the media.
The demolition drive started about 8 am amidst tight police bandobast. District officials said that the office staff of Rathod brothers had vacated the office and did not oppose the drive. The action continued till 3 pm.
The Rathod brothers have been booked under section 52 of the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act (MRTP) for carrying out unauthorized constructions that did not conform to the development plan. They have also been booked under section 53 of the Act that authorizes the local authority to remove any unauthorized development. The administration had also registered a complaint against them under section 279 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code.
What triggered the action?
On June 6, 30-year-old Vishakha Sachin Wadekar of Aundh and her daughter Sanskruti were washed away in the heavy flow of water gushing down the hills near the new Katraj tunnel on the Pune-Bangalore highway following heavy rains. The accumulated rainwater did not have any outlet, with boulders and soil obstructing the drains. The entire road near the tunnel was waterlogged.
