What works in favour of the mafia is the absence of laws on such constructions. At present, concrete structures on a riverbed are prohibited only by

What works in favour of the mafia is the absence of laws on such constructions. At present, concrete structures on a riverbed are prohibited only by rules laid down in masterplans and zonal plans, and by government policies. There is no regulatory authority.


Developers take full advantage of this loophole, smug that they would neither be fined nor jailed. At worst, the illegal structures will be razed.

Environmentalists attribute the present situation to inordinate delay on the part of the environment ministry in notifying the River Regulation Zone (RRZ), statutory authority on the lines of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), under the Environment Protection Act 1986.