TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: While investors of Bharat Heights and Palolem Plaza have recently filed a petition in court against the wrongful attachment of their properties in the aftermath of the Ruby Residency tragedy, flat owners in the surviving structures at Ruby Residency have also decided to take the matter to court.
An unusual situation confronts Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar as the government has attached all apartments and flats from Phases I and II of Ruby Residency, which includes the residence of Tawadkar and absconding builder Pardip Singh Birring.
Even though the government has officially attached the properties, Tawadkar and other investors continue to reside in their homes and have even formed the Ruby Residency Residents Co-op. Credit Society Ltd.
“We have already decided to file a plea in the court against wrongful attachment of our properties and we will do it shortly,” informed Society Vice Chairman Nilesh Paigankar.
Amit Basu, who purchased a property in Bharat Heights at Nagorcem and is leading the aggrieved investors at Bharat Heights and Palolem Plaza, said: “About 10 persons have filed a plea against the government for wrong attachment.”
“For Palolem Plaza, the hearing will come up on 12 and for Bharat Heights, the case has been fixed for January 15,” he said.
Asked on what basis the plea had been filed, Basu replied: “Investors have pleaded that government’s attachment of Bharat Heights and Palolem Plaza is wrong. Since the flats are sold and do not belong to builder anymore, how can the Crime Branch attach our properties without verifying the facts? Most investors have paid 1% stamp duty and have sale agreements. Just because builders, who have sold the properties, are absconding, how can our properties be attached?”
“Government has taken the stamp duty, so why this harassment to us? Why should flat owners of Bharat Heights and Palolem Plaza be made to suffer because of the Ruby Residency tragedy, as they are completely separate projects,” Basu told Herald over the phone.
“For over one year, people are waiting patiently in Bharat Heights for the work to start. What is the government doing for so long,” asked Basu.
“There is a huge escalation cost due to delay, and who will bear it is another question. Rains starts in June and buildings can’t be left abandoned and hence we have requested permission to resume work in Bharat Heights. One can’t stop work at all sites just because there is problem at another site.”
“We want our properties to be detached. Bank loans are being paid and banks have not even bothered to grant us a waiver,” said Basu.
