Maha govt may invoke MCOCA against developers raising illegal buildings, cheating flat buyers

MUMBAI: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said his government would come with a new policy that will hold government officials and builders responsible for illegal constructions. Fadnavis also said the government will study whether it can take action against developers under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for constructing unauthorised buildings and selling such flats to innocent people.
NCP MLA Sandeep Naik moved a calling attention motion and raised the issue of 96 buildings in Digha area of Navi Mumbai that are under the scanner of the municipal corporation. "Residents of 96 buildings are living in fear of demolition. The CM should clarify the government’s stand on this issue," Naik said.
In his reply, Fadnavis said that while regularizing the illegal structures of Digha, the state government will also take criminal action against developers who built it. "We will also fix the responsibility on government officials for negligence and rules will be framed in this regard. The developers who built the unauthorised buildings will be taken to task. The government will also consider booking errant builders under MCOCA."
The state government has sought the Bombay high court’s permission to implement the new policy to protect illegal buildings constructed across the state before the cut-off date of December 31, 2015. The CM clarified that the policy will be applicable for the entire state.
"The key intention behind the policy is to curb the illegal constructions. The matter is in the high court so there are limitations to discuss the issue," said Fadnavis.