A growing between Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) over housing for the economically weaker sections has now led to confusion among local developers. While the disagreement between the two authorities has become public, the NMC has issued notices to around 200 builders in the city.The state government had earlier claimed in the Legislative Assembly that Nashik's then-municipal commissioner had issued an order that contradicted the Speaker's instructions. However, the com missioner maintained that the circular was based on the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR).
But now, the NMC has sent notices to around 200 developers, asking for details, despite earlier saying that the No Objection Certificates (NOC) from MHADA was not needed. This has surprised many developers who had not obtained MHADA clearance based on the commissioner's circular.
As per current rules, any housing scheme on a plot larger than 4,000 square me-tres must allocate 20 per cent of the land or flats to MHADA. Technically, the NMC is not directly involved in this pro-cess; developers must deal di-rectly with MHADA. In fact, during the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government, former Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad had accused Nashik developers and the NMC of colluding to deny homes to the poor. In response,the NMC had submitted a list of all developers who had taken NOCs from MHADA.
Recently, MLA Devyani Pharande raised the issue in the Assembly, demanding homes for the poor. The current Housing Minister replied that a meeting had taken place in the Speaker's chamber, and it was decided that homes should be handed over to MHADA. But the then NMC commissioner had issued a circular stating that MHADA's NOC was not necessary even for projects over 4,000 square metres, something the minister claimed was not legally tenable. Despite this, the NMC has not officially cancelled the commissioner's circular but has still sent notices to around 200 developers, asking about the status of allocations of units to MHADA. This has raised eyebrows, since on one hand, the NMC says MHADA'S NOC is not required, and on the other, they are seeking explanations about the status of houses for MHADA.