MUMBAI, July 25: The Bombay High Court has stayed further construction activity in the three-star Krishnali Beach Resort, Ratnagiri. Congress legislator Vidya Belose is a director-shareholder of the hotel.

Justice F I Ribello stated any further construction will be subject to environmental clearance and other licences while the court order itself states that most of the construction is already over. The judge stayed demolition of the already erected resort ordered by the Ratnagiri Collector.

The interim ruling came in the wake of a petition filed by the resort owners and director Belose against the Collector's demolition order dated October 14, 1996. According to the Collector, the resort violated the Ministry of Environment's bar on construction within 200 meters of High Tide Line.

Moreover, it is also alleged that Krishnali Beach Resorts Pvt. Ltd. did not seek the eating house licence before starting the food outlet.According to the owners of the resort at Bhandarpule-Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri, all requirements under the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986, have been fulfilled. The Collector threatened to pull down the structures, if they did not do so on their own. The beach developers appealed against these directions and the state revenue minister, who had dismissed the plea. They claimed that the government knew about the construction of these structures adding that the proposed demolition is ``part of a political vendetta because the director Belose belongs to the opposition party and represents the Congress in the legislative council.'' It claimed that Belose has been harassed at revenue minister N Rane's behest.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.