Jairam Ramesh’s environment ministry has said that it will await the decision of the Bombay High Court before proceeding with the demolition of the Adarsh Society building in Mumbai.
Responding to the decision by Bombay High Court on Wednesday to take more time to arrive at a judgement, the ministry said it too shall wait for the High Court’s final decision.
It, however, continued to insist that the Court has not imposed any stay on the demolition, due for April 13.
The question of whether or not the ministry can send in the bulldozers had become prominent after advocates for both sides came up with opposing interpretation of the Court’s interim judgments.
The society’s beseeched the Courts on Wednesday, claiming that the ministry intended to demolish the building ‘on the sly.’
“We trust the ASG [government lawyer] and, if anything happens, you can always come rushing to us,” the Court had observed.
In response, Jairam’s ministry has said, “Although no formal stay order was passed by the learned bench nor any other interim relief granted, it seems appropriate to respect the outcome of the judicial process and not proceed with any demolition before the hearing scheduled on 27 April, 2011.”
The Adarsh Society is accused of not having sought the requisite approval from the Coastal Regulatory Zone authorities before starting construction at a stone’s throw away from the sea.
The Society has already been proven to have had secured favors from several top political leaders and bureaucrats in Maharashtra, some of whom are also owners of flats in the skyscraper.