Union Environment Ministry has directed the Adarsh Housing Society in Mumbai to demolish within three months the 31-storey building in Colaba for violating coastal regulations and restore the area in its original condition. In its order, the ministry said, if the society fails to comply with it on its own, the ministry will be constrained to enforce this direction. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said that Adarsh Society has violated the very spirit of Coastal Regulation Zone, CRZ by not even acknowledging the need for clearance under the 1991 notification. In a statement posted on the Ministry's website, Mr Ramesh said, ignorance of law can never be an excuse for non-compliance. The Ministry's final order is based on the report of a panel led by Environment Impact Assessment Division Advisor Nalini Bhat which said that Adarsh Society has not obtained necessary prior clearance under the CRZ Notification.Opposition leaders and social activists welcomed the decision and demanded its immediate implementation.The society meant to house families of Kargil martyrs came under the scanner following reports that flats were doled out to politicians, top defence personnel including two former Army Chiefs and bureaucrats as well as their kin. The CBI has began a probe into it.In Mumbai, the Maharashtra government said it will soon take a decision on the Environment Ministry's direction. Maharashtra Environment Minister Sanjay Devtale said that the state government will study the order issued by the Environment Ministry and decide soon on what is to be done.Counsel for the Adarsh Society Satish Maneshinde said the order will be challenged in the High Court once its copy is available. He alleged that the contents of the order were leaked to the media earlier this week while the order itself was issued on a Sunday.