Maharashtra bandh: Can the government recover losses? Past records show it’s unlikely

During the bandh, Maharashtra’s transport bus bodies suffered a loss of Rs20 crore, while the railways lost Rs3.40 crore

Though the police in various districts have registered cases against protesters involved in Wednesday’s bandh, making it easier for the state to recover losses to the private and public property, records show that recouping such losses are often impossible.During the bandh, state transport bus bodies suffered a loss of Rs20 crore, while the Railways lost Rs3.40 crore. Private bodies in some parts of the state were reported to have incurred similar losses owing to vehicular damage.

Protesters vandalised vehicles at Vikhroli on Wednesday. (HT)

The Bombay high court and supreme court have, time and again, directed the government to ensure that these losses are recuperated, to little avail.

In one case, the Mumbai collector ordered the organisers of a rally held at Azad Maidan in August 2012, to pay up after riots at the area led to public and private property being damaged. According to the collector’s notice, Raza Academy, one of the organisers, must pay Rs2.73 crore.

The collector had also issued a notice to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) after party workers damaged toll booths at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in 2014, leading to financial losses.

As both cases are pending in different courts, the collector is yet to recover his dues.

MNS leader Nitin Sardesai, however, said that he was unaware of any claims made by the collector.

Saeed Noori, general secretary, Raza Academy, said his organisation has refused to pay up as they were not involved with the rally.

“Based on the cases registered by the police, the district collectors issue notices seeking that damages to properties be recovered. The Supreme Court had endorsed the high court’s orders that authorities be directed to ensure speedy recovery of dues. It takes months to claim damages, a lot of which is waste during litigation,” said an official from the home department.

He added that the only known case in which the organisers paid for losses was when the Shiv Sena and BJP paid up after a bandh called in July 2003.

Deepak Kesarkar, minister of state for home, said the losses will be recovered following due process.

Transport minister and Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Raote, however, said his department will not claim losses incurred by the state transport buses keeping the protesters’ sentiments in mind.