India, Maharashtra, vijay kumbhar, News, Governance, RTI, Transparency, Civic Issues, Real Estate: Maharashtra Government
Showing posts with label Maharashtra Government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maharashtra Government. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Maharashtra Government announces stringent remedies against cheater builder developers.

On Tuesday chief minister of Maharashtra announced stringent remedies against cheater builder developers. He assured legislative house that the properties of such unscrupulous, fly-by-night builders and developers will be sold to refund money to consumers. He also assured to amend the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Act . currently this law is applicable to investors and not buyers of property however Government  is planning to amend the MPID Act to include such crimes to enable the government to sell the property of those involved in these cases and return money to investors.


In last some years it is observed that gullible flat buyers fall in trap of verbal claims, glossy brochures of builders. The increase in the demand and the offered promises does not ensure that the promises will fulfilled on time. Builders fail to deliver on time,  the delay in handing over possession is rampant. Many builders start selling flats even before work starts and in some cases the builders don’t have commencement certificate even after buyers occupy the flats and start living in it.

Because of one-sided sale agreements tilted in a developer's favors, buyers have no option but to be patient when the developer delays his project. Builders start selling flats even before work starts. There are several reasons for a stalled project. Many times builder run out of funds or the authorities issue them a stop-work notice for violations. Many times such delay is there because the developer  changes the building plans or  delay in procuring approvals,

Before buying any property one should check copy of all legal documents like approval of municipality, sample sale agreement etc. and get these document verified . Many times buyers get the legal papers only after paying the cash component or some percent of  the price of property .Once buyer pays some amount ( that goes into some lakh rupees) he fall in builders trap he has no option other than to believe or wait for the project to be completed. He avoids any legal action or complaint to authorities because fear of losing money. And delay in justice in India is main cause of such fear.

It seems that Mr. fadanvis has taken common flat buyers problems seriously. Recently he announced to to clear construction proposals by developers within seven days from their respective municipal authorities or district authorities if the building plan submitted by them is as per any of the 56 plans approved by the government.

In last many years in India housing for poor or affordable housing has become a serious issue. Many Governments brought many legislation or schemes to promote such housing. Be it urban land ceiling Act ( Funny thing is this act was brought so that poor people should get house and it was repealed for the same reason) , Housing for economically weaker section ( EWS ) , Housing for dis housed (HDH), special Township schemes etc. etc.

Many concessions benefits were given  to promote such schemes. The Idea was to make available affordable housing for poor. But that didn’t happen because builder with help of politicians and bureaucrats siphoned off all these concessions and benefits in between. They didn’t reach to whom those were meant for i.e real, poor and needy flat buyer


In two circumstances real estate industry unites remarkably 1)To siphon of concessions-benefits meant for common people and 2) to oppose or put pressure on government , not to make efforts that may regularize real estate industry. Best recent examples of it are  Real Estate Regulatory Authority  and recently announced  certification the measurement of flats sold to buyers.The real estate industry as expected has heavily reacted on this decision.

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Custodial Deaths Row,Maharashtra Government fails to install CCTVs in Police stations

Recently Bombay High Court pulled Maharashtra Government for not complying its directions   to install CCTV Cameras in every corner of the room of the police stations including an interrogation room before 10/09/2014. HC also expressed displeasure over not inviting tenders and making assessment and finding out how many police stations are there and how many CCTV cameras will be required for installation.

The Assistant Public Prosecutor for the State had asked twelve weeks' time as the report from the Home Department on this issue was awaited. HC then had adjourned the case till 24.9.2014. But now as the hearing has been adjourned till 13 November 2014 state government has got some more breathing period.

In its directions HC had asked Maharashtra Government to immediately install and maintain closed circuit television (CCTV) with rotating cameras in every corridor, room and lock up of each Police Station in the state so that every part of the Police Station is covered 24 hours of the day. Compliance report on this order was to be given before 10 September 2014.

Last month on 13 august after it was brought to the notice of the court that there were 333 custodial deaths over a period of 15 years from 1999 to 2013 in Maharashtra  and 43 FIRs were filed and 19 charge-sheets were filed, but no police officer has been convicted so far. Bombay High court had passed severe stricture on police. HC was hearing a criminal writ filed by Leonard Xavier Valdaris, father of deceased Agnelo Valdaris who  died in the custody of the Wadala Police.

Angelo by profession a driver was arrested with three others by wadala police. It was alleged that in custody police brutally tortured and sexually abused the accused. Later on Angelo was found dead. It was also alleged by Angelo’s father that police claim that Angelo died while escaping from the custody of the police, was well planned and designed to avoid criminal consequences arising out of the action of the accused. It was also submitted that, in fact, version had been given by one of the injured person in which he had in terms stated that one of the police officer had threatened him, that even if he dies during interrogation, he would be shown to have been killed in a railway accident.

Photo Courtesy - ummid.com 
While hearing this case HC initially refused to hand over the investigation to CBI, However court ordered CID to file fresh FIR. Then it was alleged by angelo’s father that an attempt had been made to destroy the evidence and fabricate the same   in   order   to   protect the   original accused, HC passed strictures against CID and handed over the case to CBI.

HC also observed that the manner  in  which  the  offence  was  alleged  to had been committed, was  gruesome and there was  complete lack of sensitivity of the interrogating agency in interrogating the accused. The photographs produced of the injured persons also indicated that they were brutally tortured by the police. 

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RTI KATTA 

RTI KATTA is a platform to empower oneself through discussions amongst each other to solve their problems by using Right to Information act, Every Sunday at Chittaranjan Watika, Model Colony,Shivaji nagar, Pune, between 9.30 to 10.30 A.M.

RTI Resource Person, RTI Columnist
Phone – 9923299199