Even as the Odisha government has made full and final payments for taking over the now-defunct Odisha Textiles Mill (OTM) at Choudwar, it appears to be reluctant to take immediate possession of the mill property. When this apprehension was raised by the official liquidator in the Orissa High Court on Friday, a single-judge bench of Justice Biswanath Rath directed the State government to take possession of the OTM property on ‘as is where basis’ by 4 p.m. on Monday.
“It is made clear that if there is further game playing by the State authorities and the handing over and taking over possession of the property is not completed by December 5, the State will be charged with monthly expenditure required for the time being, Rs six lakh to be deposited in the High Court on December 6. For the OTM properties, which includes landed property of 522 acres; the State government has already deposited Rs 150 crore in two phases with the official liquidator,” the Bench said.
In his report to the High Court, the official liquidator had alleged that for some plea or the other, the State representatives were not taking over the possession of the property. Instead, the State was insisting on taking possession only after an inventory is made, but there was no scope to make inventory in ‘as is where is’ basis of sale”, the report said adding that in the event the property not being handed over to the buyer in due time, the financial burden on the official liquidator would increase.
“Both the State Representative and the Official Liquidator are directed to remain present in discharge of handing over and taking over possession of the property on December 5. Both are further directed to file their respective compliance report before this Court on December 6 when this matter will be listed”, the High Court said.
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