HC stays cricketers’ housing dreams

The secretary of the Jewel society is Mumbai medium-pace bowler Rajeev Kulkarni who had applied for the allotment of the plot in 1991. However, the application had specifically asked for a different plot in Versova. Among the members of the Jewelsociety were: Tendulkar, Karsan Ghavri, Salil Ankola, athlete Zenia Ayerton, table tennis champion Kamlesh Mehta and badminton player Bhushan Akoot.

According to the petitioners, then chief minister Sharad Pawar had specifically granted the Bandra plot to them on April 25, 1987. Also, MHADA had endorsed the decision. Nothing happened for the next ten years and last year the state government informed the Jewel Society of the allotment at Bandra.

Deputy Secretary of the State Housing and Special Assistance department Uttam Nagarale has filed two affidavits in the court justifying the allotment of the Bandra plot to the sportsmen. According to the affidavits, there is nothing illegal about the allotment.

He explained that when Pawar allotted the plot to Indira Mahila society, he was informed that the plot was reserved for hospitals. Therefore, Pawar asked the government to follow reservation policy. As a result, the plot was not given to Indira society.

Thereafter, the government changed and the ShivSena-BJP government dereserved part of the plot and granted it to the sportsmen, Nagarale stated adding that the decision was taken following the government’s policy to promote welfare of sportsmen. The petition is expected to come up for final hearing soon.