Chandrakant Valvi, a GST commissioner from Gujarat currently stationed in Ahmedabad, has made headlines for his recent purchase of an entire village in the picturesque Kandati Valley, located in the Satara District of Maharashtra.
Spanning over a staggering 600 acres, this acquisition has raised serious concerns about the violation of crucial laws protecting the environment.
Reports suggest that Chandrakant Valvi, hailing from Nandurbar and holding the position of Chief Commissioner of GST in Ahmedabad, has along with family and relatives to procure the entirety of Jhadani village, nestled near the serene town of Mahabaleshwar.
This revelation has shed light on the distressing reality of land grabbing, with a total of 620 acres falling into the hands of a single individual.
The gravity of this situation cannot be understated, as it directly contravenes key legislations such as the Environment Protection Act of 1986, the Forest Conservation Act of 1976, and the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
The violations of these laws pose a grave threat to natural resources and the fragile ecosystem, Local social activist, Sushant More said.
“The consequences of such transgressions are far-reaching, encompassing the loss of biodiversity, rampant air and water pollution, and the exacerbation of climate change,” he said.
He claimed that the adverse impact of this acquisition is already evident, with substantial environmental damage occurring in the interior regions. Unauthorized construction, excavation, deforestation, illegal road networks, and even the illicit tapping of power from forest borders have become distressingly commonplace.
“Shockingly, these illegal activities have been transpiring for the past three years without attracting the attention of any administrative body,” Sushant More claimed.
He has alleged that the purported GST official had deceived the village residents by claiming that their land would eventually be acquired by the government.