Errant mill owners get three months to surrender land

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday issued a stern warning to defiant mill owners, who have failed to surrender the mandatory portion of land to the civic body and the planning authority while redeveloping their premises.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday issued a stern warning to defiant mill owners, who have failed to surrender the mandatory portion of land to the civic body and the planning authority while redeveloping their premises.

HT Image

Chavan issued a deadline of three months, failing which all the developmental activity at the said land would be stopped.

The chief minister made this announcement at a meeting with a delegation of mill workers on Thursday. The delegation sought the state government to expedite the process of creating houses for mill workers. The defaulters include Bombay Dyeing mills at Naigaon and Worli, and Century Mills at Worli.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Sachin Ahir, minister of state for housing said time has come to take strict action against the mills, who have so far failed to adhere to the state government’s guideline on mill land. “The earlier deadline was March 2011, but some mill owners still continue to ignore it. The state government will take action against those failing to follow it,” Ahir said.

Mill owners said the delay was due to procedural problem.

“The problem of land joint survey, title clearance and stamp duty issues are delaying the process, said VY Tamhane, secretary, mill owners association.