Kolhapur civic body to sue state agency

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is facing legal action from the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) for not paying dues of over Rs 6 lakh towards fire safeguards.

However, MIDC is trying to get the arrears waived by appealing to the state government with the plea that the fire fighter services to the aerodrome are in the interest of civilians travelling to and fro, and hence KMC should provide the service without any charge.

KMC, which provides fire fighting equipment on a daily basis to the aerodrome here, had earlier issued a notice to MIDC for clearance of the dues. The municipal corporation has threatened to discontinue the service if MIDC failed to pay the dues.

The aerodrome here is under the MIDC's managerial control. The KMC's fire fighter is sent to the aerodrome every morning at the time of arrival and departure of planes.

The charge per kilometre is Rs 20 and a waiting charge of Rs 275 per hour. The dues have mounted for the last few years and being kept pending by MIDC's higher authorities without assigning any reason.

The delay in recovering the dues from the 'rich' client like MIDC, was a matter of hot discussion at the KMC's general body meeting.

The corporators questioned the KMC's leniency in this regard while comparatively poor institutions and ordinary citizens are harassed for recovery of dues.

Dattraya Mandalik, chief of the KMC's department concerned told Business Standard that the MIDC's local officials were served with a notice while similar notices were sent to the its Pune and Mumbai offices. But as there is no response from MIDC authorities, it has now been decided to proceed legally for the recovery of dues from MIDC.

Despite the obduracy of MIDC in paying the dues, the fire fighter service is being continued as it is an essential one.

Reliable sources disclosed that MIDC was already spending a few lakhs periodically for the maintenance of the aerodrome, which was formerly under the control of the state government's public works department.

The air travel service is specially meant for Kolhapur civilians and the KMC is expected to provide free fire fighter services.

Moreover, when the aerodrome was being handed over to MIDC, a meeting was held under the aegis of then industries minister Patangrao Kadam and it was decided that KMC should provide all relevant services without collecting any charges. Even the KMC commissioner was present at the meeting.