Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has assured to take a "sympathetic view" of those who will be displaced during the ongoing drive of razing dangerous and unauthorised structures in Thane district.
Chavan gave this assurance to an ally-party delegation from Thane, which met him yesterday.
Shiv Sena MLA and district chief Eknath Shinde, NCP MLA and city unit chief Jitendra Awhad and Congress city chief Balkrishna Purnekar, who were part of the delegation, told this to reporters at a joint press conference here today.
"The Chief Minister has taken a serious view of the issue. During yesterday's bandh in Thane, we met him and he has assured to take a sympathetic view of those who would be displaced due to the demolition of dangerous and unauthorised structures," Awhad said.
Parties, including Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena had given a call for a day-long shutdown against the razing of illegal buildings by Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) while demanding that alternate accommodation be provided to residents, who will be displaced in the action.
"The Chief Minister said that those displaced during the drive would be accommodated in rental houses and also that people living in the 60 most dangerous buildings in the district would be rehabilitated on a priority basis," Shinde said.
When asked about the motive behind their coming together on the issue, the leaders said, "Even though we are from different parties, we have come together as we cannot be mere spectators when the citizens are in trouble. We will keep our political differences away and come together for a cause and in the interest of the citizens," they said.
Shinde said that they have urged the Chief Minister to take stringent action against the unauthorised structures and raze them suo moto and even slap MCOCA on the builders.
"Stringent measures are needed against such builders, which will prove a deterrent," he said.
Drive against illegal structures was launched after a seven-storey building in Shil Phata in the district collapsed, killing 74 people earlier this month.
