Petitioner says ‘battle far from over’ in Tahiliani project row

MAPUSA
The petitioner in the case concerning fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani’s construction project, Dhirendra Phadte, said the Supreme Court dismissed the petition only after Tahiliani gave an undertaking that the project would strictly comply with the settlement zone provisions under the Regional Plan 2021.
Phadte said the undertaking effectively nullifies the permissions that were previously granted for the project, meaning the proponent will now have to apply afresh and go through the entire procedure of obtaining approvals again.
“The battle is far from over. In fact, it will restart. The proponents of the project will have to also follow CRZ norms, which are quite stringent. We will track this case very minutely,” Phadte said.
The Supreme Court had dismissed the special leave petition after the respondent project proponent gave an undertaking stating that the construction would strictly adhere to the provisions applicable to a Settlement Zone under the Regional Plan 2021.
Phadte, along with other villagers, had earlier alleged that the construction was being carried out in an eco-sensitive zone and in violation of planning regulations. He had also written to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department seeking withdrawal of the permissions earlier granted to Tahiliani.
The issue had triggered strong protests in the village, with residents running a sustained campaign against the project for nearly two years. During the agitation, the local Pomburpa panchayat had also issued a stop-work order on the construction.
Correction: In our report titled “SC rejects locals’ plea…” published on Monday, the name of the Chief Justice of India was incorrectly mentioned as Sanjiv Khanna. It should be read as Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. The error is regretted.