The defiant Campa Cola compound residents, occupying 35 illegal floors in seven buildings of the controversial housing complex at Worli in south-central Mumbai, steadfastly refused to oblige the civic eviction-cum-demolition squad for the second day on Saturday, despite the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) having lodged a complaint against with the police for unlawful assembly and preventing public servants from carrying out their duty.
In a repeat of events that had unfolded on Friday, the agitating residents had not only closed the main gate of the complex, but had also put up a human barrier to prevent the entry of civic eviction squad inside the society, long before the BMC officials arrived at the Campa Cola complex at 11 am to cut off the essential supplies like electricity, water and piped domestic gas to 102 illegal flats — as a pre-cursor to the impending eviction-cum-demolition.
like on Friday, the BMC officials tried once again to persuade the Campa Cola residents to vacate the illegal flats in the complex in accordance with the latest ruling of the Supreme Court, which had on June 3 directed the BMC to proceed with the due process of eviction followed by demolition.
Alluding to a complaint lodged with the Worli police by the BMC against the Campa Cola residents for unlawful assembly and restraining public servants from carrying out their duty, the civic officials also warned the agitating residents that the Worli police would step in and initiate action against them, if the latter refused to co-operate with the eviction-cum-demolition squad.
However, the Campa Cola residents — notwithstanding the prolonged efforts of persuasion made by the BMC officials — dug in their heels and refused to let the civic eviction squad inside the complex. Seeing no in continuing their efforts, the BMC officials suspended their operation for the day.
The BMC officials are planning to file a contempt of court petition against the defiant housing society early next next week. “The Campa Cola residents have clearly defied the June 3 order of the Supreme Court. We are planning to file a contempt petition against the Campa Cola residents early next week. We will be using the video-graphic footage of the proceedings here to buttress our case,” a senior civic official said.