After Thursday’s ruckus in the Improvement Committee meeting where the Shiv Sena was accused of delaying houses for mill workers, the Sena did a U-turn in Friday's meeting and passed the proposal.
The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) had approached the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take its six plots in various localities of the city, measuring 3,873 sq.m., and give MHADA a single plot of 3,607 sq.m. in Western India United Mills. The BMC stands to gain property worth ₹4.33 crore more with the deal. The 2015 proposal was tabled in Thursday’s committee meeting where all parties wanted it to be passed, except the Sena, which deferred it saying it had errors. This was followed by the Opposition sitting on the floor in protest, claiming the proposal would be delayed by months, due to the forthcoming Code of Conduct. The chairman adjourned the meeting.
But following criticismthat the Sena is unnecessarily stalling mill workers’ houses, chairman Dilip Lande called for an informal visit to the plot and a meeting on Friday, and allowed the proposal to be passed. “No party wants to deny mill workers their rights. Therefore, we are sanctioning the proposal,” Mr. Lande said.
