In 2016, a massive fire broke out during a cultural programme at the Make In India event in Girgaum Chowpatty. Express file
Pointing out the fire that had broken out during Make in India event at Girgaum Chowpatty beach in 2016, the Bombay High Court Friday said that the state government should adhere to an earlier court order that allows the area to be used only for selected public events.
The order, passed in 2016, had stated that the only events to be allowed are Ramleela and Krishnaleela and Chirstmas besides the Ganesh and Durga idol immersion. A Bench of Justices AS Oka and PN Deshmukh said it will pass a detailed order next week reiterating that only these events be allowed in Girgaum Chowpatty.
The Bench was hearing a public interest litigation highlighting that the Chowpatty beach was facing soil erosion. The Maharashtra government filed a report in court confirming that the beach was facing the problem of soil erosion. The government said that a joint inspection on February 15 by the city collector’s office and the Public Works Department had found that soil erosion had been taking place on the Girgaum Chowpatty beach.
The state said it was looking at engaging the Central Water Power Research Institute in Pune, an expert research body, to identify reasons for the soil erosion. The government further submitted that it will take at least a year to fix the problem and restore the damage caused by soil erosion.
At this, the Bench said the state must also ensure that no encroachments or illegal activities are allowed in the area. “This prompts us to reiterate that the Chowpatty beach area must only be used for the events mentioned in our January 2016 order,” the Bench said.
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