The state Public Accounts Committee has criticised the Mhada for its failure to protect its open plots. The PAC has found that nearly 55 Mhada plots in Mumbai have been illegally encroached. However, the housing authority has not taken any steps to prevent the encroachment.
The PAC, headed by MLA Girish Bapat has noted that the Mhada’s action against illegal encroachment starts only after encroachers obtain electricity connections and shop permits on the land. However, following Mhada action, encroachers move the court
and then it becomes impossible for the Mhada to remove encroachments. The PAC has also suggested that Mhada officials are also involved in the encroachment racket.
“The Mhada has got most of its land under the Land Ceiling Act. However, the involvement of Mhada officers in the racket to take away land from the rich and then give it to other rich persons, is a serious matter,” the PAC observed.
The PAC has cited an instance of a plot at Vile Parle where Mhada suffered a loss of `92.78 lakh due to arbitrary pricing of the land. The 978-square metre plot at Andheri was encroached by M/s Bhaskar Auto Garage. The said encroachment was regularised by imposing the cost of `1.04 crore on the company though as per the rule `1.96 crore should have been recovered from the company.
“Such practices of Mhada officers of giving away Mhada plots to rich people should be stopped,” the PAC said.
“The PAC recommends that Mhada should inform within three months, the steps taken by it to prevent encroachment or misuse of its open plots in Mumbai,” the PAC added. It has also asked the Mhada to fix the responsibility on the officers who were responsible for encroachments.