BJP’s Kirit Somaiya accuses MVA of violating CRZ rules, destroying mangroves in Madh

In a direct attack on the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday alleged a Rs 300 crore scam involving film studios and commercial structures in the shores of Madh in Mumbai.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya accused the erstwhile MVA government, its state environment ministry headed by Aaditya Thackeray, BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at the time which was ruled by Shiv Sena and its MLA Aslam Shaikh, who was also a minister in the MVA.

According to Somaiya, a dozen film studios and commercial structures were constructed in 2021 in the ‘No Development Zone’ of the CRZ (coastal regulation zone) along the seashore of Madh in Mumbai's western suburbs.

He also alleged that Shaikh forged the documents, and gave permission for six months only on the pretext of temporary structure—film shed/sets only—in February 2021.

Addressing a news conference, Dr Somaiya said: “The permission was given for six months only which expired in July 2021. The condition of so-called permission, given by the environment ministry’s Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), was that it will be a purely temporary shed/set and will be removed after six months. In a fraudulent manner the BMC gave them illegal permission to construct film studios. The officials of the environment ministry and BMC connived with land mafias and local MVA political leader(s) and allowed the construction of more than one dozen film studios and commercial structures on the seashore where the high tide touches the studios.”

“The studios and commercial structure are also functioning today though the temporary permission expired in July 2021. BMC illegally extended the permission given on fraudulent forged documents,” he said.

Dr Somaiya and Mumbai North member of parliament (MP) Gopal Shetty inspected the area on Sunday. Officials from MCZMA, CRZ department, collector’s office, forest department (mangrove) and the police were also present.

“These studio owners and Congress leader Aslam Shaikh have violated all environmental norms, and destroyed the mangroves. We demand strict action against the studio owners, land mafia, officials conniving to destroy the mangrove and the commercial construction on the No Development CRZ touching the Arabian Sea,” Somaiya said.