Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
A large-scale encroachment has taken place on the land meant for the minor irrigation project at Ghanegaon, adjacent to Waluj MIDC. Approximately 41 industries are operating there unauthorisedly. The Department of Water Resources (DoWR) has initiated action to clear the encroachment from this land.
The power and water supply to the industries in Ghanegaon will be disconnected, and both MSEDCL and MIDC will be alerted in this regard. Finally, with the help of the Department of Revenue, action will be taken to remove the encroachments on the land, said the DoWR officials. Over the past few years, the city has been rapidly developing on all sides, leading to the land surrounding the city becoming highly valuable. Various villages near the city have water reservoirs constructed by the DoWR around 50 years ago. The department had acquired land for these reservoirs, and compensation was provided to the respective landowners. However, the land records were not transferred to the government’s name. Taking advantage of this, some heirs of landowners have made unauthorised transactions with these lands, while in some cases, the land remains in the name of the original owners.
There are 41 industries on the acquired land for the Ghanegaon reservoir, and one individual has built a farmhouse on the dam's embankment. Upon learning of this, the DoWR has initiated action to remove the encroachments on the land owned by the department. Regarding this, sub-divisional engineer Manish Niranjan said that some plots of land, part of the acquired land for the Ghanegaon reservoir, were not recorded in the name of the DoWR in the 7/12 land record.
After this matter came to light, action was initiated through the sub-divisional officer and the tehsildar to transfer the land to the DoWR’s name in the 7/12 land record. The action is being carried out after examining the old, dilapidated documents from 50 years ago. MSEDCL and MIDC have been informed, and the power and water supply to the concerned industries will be disconnected. Notices have already been issued to these industries, but they have not responded yet. Therefore, we have now started further action. With the help of the Department of Revenue, the encroachments will be removed from the land.
Chief Minister takes note
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken note of the action being taken by the DoWR to transfer the acquired land to the government's name. The district administration informed the CM that this initiative by the DoWR has been included in the list of the government's commendable 100 initiatives.