Relief to illegal encroachments after ruckus in Maharashtra assembly

Maharashtra government today assured that it will go slow on the illegal encroachments in Thane district and said that it will try to save as many hutments as possible from the anti-encroachment drive there.

Maharashtra minister for industries and ports, Narayan Rane while intervening a debate-reply during a calling attention motion, said as per the Bombay high court order the illegal dwellings which has come up after year 2002 will have to be removed.

"But the government will ensure that no hutment which came up before 2002 is touched," he said.

Opposition members including BJP, Sena and MNS were on their feet and demanding regularisation of unauthorised constructions.

After slogan shouting, they stormed the well of the house and demanded that since it was a major issue for Thane, chief minister, who was not present in the House should be summoned and give a reply to the queries of the members.

They continued their protest and some members squatted on the carpet of floor of house. Opposition leader Eknath Khadse (BJP) demanded that government should regularise the unauthorised hutments.

"When you (Govt) can allow irregularities in Lavasa project near Pune, why not allow these illegal constructions to continue," they said.

Noisy scenes were witnessed and Khadse urged for a 15-minute adjournment but deputy speaker, Vasant Purke who was in Chair, adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

After resumption, Rane said since the hutments were there for the last 30-40 years, the government was sensitive towards families living there and they would not be displaced.