Converting open space into industrial plots: notice to Govt, Principal Secretary & respondents

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A petition was filed in the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court against the conversion of two open plots of Chikalthana MIDC with about 5,000 trees into industrial usage plots.

According to details, the bench comprising Justice Mangesh Patil and Justice Prafulla Khubalkar on Thursday ordered to issue notices to the State Government, Principal Secretary of the Industries Department, Chief Executive Officer and Divisional Manager of MIDC, Satish Agarwal and Bipin Darape (both industrialists). The plots were allotted to Agrawal and Darape. The next hearing on this petition will be held after 4 weeks.

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What is petition?

A social activist Chandrakant Choundiye filed a petition through adv Siddheshwar Thombre, stating that open plots (numbers 12, 19 and 22) were left in Chikalthana MIDC. The plot of number F-40 measuring 1315 sq meter and the plot of E-54 measuring 8,000 sq meters, were shown open space on the industrial plots. MIDC spent crores of rupees on those plots and planted 5,000 trees in 2016-17. The trees have grown up to 15 to 20 feet high today.

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Change in objective

By changing the purpose and amending norms rules of MIDC were converted into industrial usage plots which have dense populated trees. Also, without inviting any tender, the land was given to industrialists for the proposed LLP company and Shivantika Agro Pvt Ltd industries for Rs 2.50 crore and Rs 4.45 crore respectively, it was stated in the petition.

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Environmental damage

The petitioner also claims that if a plot with 5,000 fully grown trees of shisham (rosewood), Gulmohar and Kanchan (a source of oxygen), is given for industry after cutting trees, it will cause a lot of environmental damage and the ecological balance will deteriorate.