Click to play videoMumbai: The long disputed issue of construction on forest land in Mumbai finally seems close to a resolution after a recent Supreme Court ruling. But the outcome may not bode well for the already fragile environment of the city.
Two years after silence descended in the illegal construction sites in Mumbai, a Supreme Court order could now restart the work.
The projects had been declared illegal in 2006, as they were located on forest land.
But the apex court now says work can go on if the Environment Ministry clears it.
Developers are a happy lot but the court order has come as a blow to green activists like Debi Goenka.
Goenka was one of the original petitioners who fought to conserve the city's dwindling forest cover.
There are approximately 150 such projects being constructed on 200 acres of forest land.
In 2001, Goenka's Bombay Environment Action group approached the Bombay High Court saying the state government was not acting against developers building illegally on forest land.
After five long years, in 2006, the BMC ordered the constructions stopped.
"These buildings are essentially illegal, they have no permits. They go against the original SC ruling," says Goenka.
It's not just the environmentalists who are anxious. Also keeping their fingers crossed are people like Saji Mathews whose dream homes were to be built on the plots.
"We just learnt about this from the papers. The builders have not told us anything," says Mathews, who booked a flat here five years ago.
Now Matthews is hoping he can take possession of his new home soon.
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