Hema Malini's dance academy destroyed mangroves on previously allotted land, RTI reply reveals

Moneylife Digital Team 02 February 2016

Hema Malini was allotted a land at Versova village, but her Trust was issued a notice by the Collector's office for destroying mangroves on adjoining plot, a violation of CRZ

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s member of Parliament (MP) Hema Malini's dance academy had on previous occasion destroyed mangroves on the land allotted, thus violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Act, reveals a reply received under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

As per the information received by RTI activist Anil Galgali, in 1997, the now BJP MP was allotted a plot admeasuring 1,741.89 sq meters at Versova village for the dance academy. Hema Malini's Natyavihar Kala Kendra Charity Trust paid Rs10 lakh to obtain a letter of intent.

However, after finding some issues, the Mumbai Suburban District Collector on 28 August 1998 issued a show cause notice to the Trust. The notice states difference in the area of land allotted and area mentioned in the project report submitted by the Trust. Since the Trust had submitted a report that shows just 25% of funds available as against the project cost, the government asked the Trust's plans to raise the balance.

The Mumbai Suburban District Collector's letter also specifically states about destruction of mangroves by the Trust on adjoining land, which according to it was violation of CRZ. The show cause notice, which sought an explanation within 10 days, was not even responded to by the Trust, nor did the Collector's office take any action, Galgali said.

Since a portion of that land was effected with CRZ regulations, Hema Malini had not undertaken any construction on the land and instead sought another land from the government. On 23 December 2015, the government allotted 2,000 sq Mtrs from a total land admeasuring 29,360.50 sq mtrs reserved for Garden in Ambivili village near Andheri.

Galgali said, "On the basis of the facts before the government, the new land allotment was initiated by this govt by ignoring the previous violations and the Principal Secretary (Revenue) also overlooked the issue by not going through the past records. Serious violation of destruction of mangroves was overlooked and while taking no action the issue was glossed over and the new government has misused the rule of valuation of 1976 and allotted another land in lieu of the old one for pittance Rs 70,000 at village Ambivili admeasuring 2,000 sq mtrs and the land being reserved for Garden."

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