
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against Berkeley Real Tech Limited, Godrej Estate Developers and estate office officials for allegedly constructing a big residential project in Chandigarh Industrial Area Phase-1 without environment and wildlife clearance, sources said on Tuesday.
In the FIR, the agency alleged that in connivance with estate office officials, the two companies carried out construction work by ignoring government rules and later also obtained an Occupation Certificate (OC) illegally, the sources added.
A complaint in the matter was made to Punjab Raj Bhavan, after which CBI has launched a probe into the case, they added.
The CBI in its Preliminary Enquiry (PE) has found that Berkeley Real Tech Limited applied for wildlife clearance for its ‘Berkeley Square’ project on August 12, 2014, the sources said, while noting that by then the project was already completed.
According to them at the time of seeking clearance, an eco-sensitive zone of 10 km was fixed for Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary and City Bird Sanctuary (Sector-21).
“When the Forest Department team inspected the project on September 18, 2015, it was found that the project was 5.20 km away from Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary and 3.20 km away from Bird Sanctuary,” a source said.
Similarly, Godrej Estate Developers Pvt Ltd also applied for approval for its ‘Godrej Eternia’ project on November 7, 2014.
“In the inspection conducted on December 22 2014, it was revealed that the project was 6.60 km from Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary and 4.0 km from Bird Sanctuary. The construction of these projects was also completed without clearance,” he said.
It was also found that estate office officials ignored these irregularities and issued an Occupation Certificate (OC) to Berkeley Square on April 29, 2016, and to Godrej Eternia on June 9, 2015, the CBI officials said.
They added that when the matter reached the Ministry of Environment and Forests, on April 4, 2024, it sent a communication to the UT administration directing them to cancel the old OCs, which were cancelled accordingly.
However, Punjab Raj Bhawan sent a complaint to the CBI, which registered an FIR and launched a probe, the sources said while noting that the role of many senior officials of the estate office is under scanner.