BMC TRANSFERS ONE OFFICER IN STUDIO SCAM| 8 September, 2022

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on September 7 transferred Tushar Dudhara, assistant engineer, P/North ward, to the hydraulics department. He is one of the four officials under the scanner for his possible role in allowing unauthorised film studios to operate in the Madh-Marve area of Bombay without valid permissions from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA).

The inquiry with regard to unauthorised studios in Madh-Marve area at Malad was initiated by BMC chief I.S. Chahal who ordered that at least four civic officials of the P/North ward be probed.

The 49 studios, under the lens for flouting norms, were constructed in 2020-21. While they had BMC and MCZMA permissions, the permits from MCZMA were not renewed every six months, as required.

A fortnight ago, all these studios were issued BMC notices stating that the MCZMA permissions were to be produced before the BMC to continue operations. The roles of the assistant engineer, junior engineer, maintenance department officer and ward officer was to be probed.

Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya had complained against the illegal studios.