Housing scam: VVCMC chief forms committee to probe scam

Anilkumar Pawar, commissioner of VVCMC. Pic/Hanif Patel

Rattled by the series of mid-day reports on the multi-crore housing scam, the commissioner of Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC), Anilkumar Pawar, on Monday constituted a 10-member inquiry committee to probe it.

Sources at the VVCMC told mid-day that Pawar has asked the inquiry committee to submit the report within a fortnight. Virar police officers believe that the constitution of the inquiry committee is just an eyewash, and said illegal constructions are still underway at many places in VVCMC's jurisdiction. An activist has sought the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) with members including a retired judge and tahsildar for a fair investigation.

A highly placed source at the VVCMC told mid-day that the nine Assistant Municipal Commissioners have been given the task of checking the status of all the buildings in their jurisdictions. "The AMCs have been asked to take legal action against unauthorised buildings and the developers," said the source. Another source said, "All the departments in VVCMC are having sleepless nights after the multi-crore housing scam surfaced early this month. The commissioner has formed an inquiry committee which will be led by Additional Municipal Commissioner Ramesh Manale."

The other senior members in the committee include Ajinkya Bagade, YS Reddy, Kishore Gavas, Tanaji Narle, Nanasaheb Kamthe, Sameer Bhumkar, Shashikant Patil, Ajay Chaukekar and Mohan Sankhe.

Activist Terrence Hendriques said, "The formation of the inquiry committee is nothing but hogwash. All the inquiry committee members are very senior civic officers in VVCMC. Were these 10 officers sleeping when the unauthorised buildings were constructed and the property taxes being collected? Are they being paid only to sit in the air-conditioned rooms? How can one expect a fair probe by the VVCMC when its officials are involved in a similar scandal in the past?"

"I would request Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to rope-in retired judges, a tahsildar and other people having good track records to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a fair probe. If the same civic officers are asked to conduct an inquiry, everything will be suppressed and the facts will never be exposed," Hendriques added.

"How can we expect fair work from VVCMC Commissioner Anilkumar Pawar who failed to comply with a Bombay High Court order to demolish illegal structures, nor took action against erring officers who did not act against the encroachment and bogus buildings in VVCMC jurisdiction?" he added.

A senior officer from Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police said, "Our officers have exposed this massive housing scandal but civic officials are not bothered to stop illegal constructions which are still rampant at many places."

Calls and messages to VVCMC commissioner went unanswered.