The Campa Cola Compound Story .....

police and public tussle at the society gate 

Today , India witnessed a hapless group of distressed Mumbaikars , line up , arm less against the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation and the Mumbai Police , in a last ditch effort to save what has been their shelter built of not only sand and pebbles , but their own sweat and blood . It has made the dusty lanes of Worli , Mumbai turn into a potential battle spot , with both sides unaware of each others next move , waiting for someone to make the first initiation into the tussle . But , Where did this all start , let's reconstruct a clearer view of the whole drama :
It all began in 1955 , when Pure Drinks Ltd was alloted the plot for setting up a production unit in the same . Later , in 1980 , the same company applied for permission to build residential complexes of the unused land , which was allowed by the BMC , with a approved plan of seven buildings , with up to five floors each . But , the constructors differed  from plans and went on to build five buildings each of 6-7 floors and two towers of 17 and 20 stories . This was taken into notice by the then officials of BMC , who had even brought an immediate "stop-work " notice to the builders , but to no avail . Being at a prime location , these apartments sold like hot cakes , with the occupants not having the slightest awareness of the legal tussle involved in the structure .

the save campa cola has garnered
huge support among celebs

The builders on their part had promised to settle all issues with the BMC , and as per records even some amount was collected by the BMC as fine from the builders for irregularities . Years went on , and the problem remained unsolved , with the residents entirely unaware of the fact that , they have been pushed into a building that never existed in record books . But then , life was normal for all residents , making them carelessly leave up the fact that they were yet to be provided Occupancy Certificates , though taxation , as usual was charged by the BMC to the residents .
Fresh trouble erupted when the residents lined up for water connections from the BMC , which then brought the unsettled score into the corporations memory . And since then , life has been a big question mark for those Worli residents , with every court date threatening to throw them away from what has been their shelter for years . The situation turned the ugliest turn for the residents , when even the Supreme Court of India refused to entertain their plea and ordered BMC to move forward with its plans to demolish the illegal structures .
This judgement by the honorable court is seen as a move to straighten all other such shrewd plans by other builders and set a bench mark by punishing the illegal move . But , this has also raised a few essential queries :
1. Where was the BMC's swiftness for the last 34 years . Seven buildings and two of them towers cannot be built overnight , hidden from the public and BMC officials ,  had it reacted promptly during the construction period , then would the situation have been as bad as it is now  ?

2. The builders being allowed to go on with a "stop-work" notice smells of something fishy , perhaps a nexus between the then officials of BMC and the builders , then will the highest temple of justice in the nation bring the officials into investigation ?
3. The builders , the prime accused in this plot , what is the administrations plans about them ?
4. Will the BMC , which has been collecting legal taxes of those illegal residents , acknowledge its fault and refund the sums collected as holding taxes , etc . over the period ?
5. The residents have been said to have legal possession documents , then how did the government machinery collect stamp duties for illegal possession documents ?
On a ending note , there are several such illegal structures all around the country , the notably best being the Adarsh Housing Board , will the same course of action be taken by the lawmakers , or will presence of influential names in the occupancy force a softened stand , well its for the time to tell , for now it's important that the Honorable Supreme Court self-introspects its move on whether is it actually setting a benchmark decision for such cases , and if yes then is it punishing the guilty or the victims ?

a banner pleading support from fellow countrymen by campa cola residents

 -Abi.