Maha to probe lapses in mill land redevelopment

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today blamed wrong policies of the previous government for the Kamala Mills Compound fire in Mumbai, and announced a probe into the alleged procedural lapses in the redevelopment of the mill land.

On December 29 last year, a massive fire swept through the two roof-top pubs located in the Kamala Mills Compound here, claiming 14 lives.

Replying to a Calling Attention notice by Atul Bhatkalkar of BJP in the state Assembly, Fadnavis said as per the mill land redevelopment policy in 1999, the then government decided to allot one-third of the mill land each to Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and mill owners.

But, in 2001 the decision was changed to one-third of the vacant land, he claimed.

"By doing this, the previous Congress-NCP government gave away the entire mill land to the mill owners and developers, and ensured that the mill workers do not get their rightful homes," he said.

"The Kamala Mills fire was due to the sin committed by the previous government. Instead of 50,000 sq metres, the development was done in 51,000 sqm (in the Kamala Mills Compound)," he alleged.