Mumbai, July 7 (IANS) Horticulture Minister Bharat Gogawale on Monday told the Legislative Assembly that the state government will soon take a policy decision in a meeting with the Environment Minister regarding the ban on artificial flowers for the benefit of flower-growing farmers in the state.

He was responding to Mahesh Shinde, who highlighted the problems faced by flower-growing farmers, saying that the market for all types of flowers has been affected due to the excessive use of artificial flowers. Members Kailas Patil (Ghadge) and Narayan Kuche participated in the discussion.

Minister Gogawale said that flower-growing farmers are being trained to face the competition in the market regarding modern technology in floriculture, post-harvest training and modern technology in greenhouses.

“However, farmers are suffering due to the introduction of artificial flowers in the market. In this regard, a meeting will be held with the Environment Department along with the public representatives during the session itself, and a policy decision will be taken regarding banning artificial flowers.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the state council announced that illegal godowns near Bhiwandi city will be closed down.

“A separate zone has been created for warehouses in the Bhiwandi city area through the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Apart from this, the warehouses that have been built in other areas have already been given a chance to regularise themselves. Those who have not yet regularised them will be given another chance after the survey. However, the warehouses built without any permission, which pose a threat to life, will be closed,” he said in his reply to a calling attention motion made by Niranjan Davkhare.

Davkhare brought to the Chief Minister’s notice a massive fire that broke out in a chemical warehouse in the limits of Val village on Anjur Phata-Dapoda road in Bhiwandi city of Thane district, resulting in the burning of 12 warehouses. Taking a serious note, the chief minister declared that such illegal warehouses would be evicted.

Fadnavis said the godown where the fire broke out was illegal. The concerned persons had not taken permission from the Shops and Establishments Department, as well as the permission required for storing chemicals. Therefore, they have committed an act that will endanger the lives of others. Instructions will be given to investigate and register a case under Section 103 of the Indian Penal Code in this regard.

Chief Minister Fadnavis said, “Such warehouses are given permission by the local Gram Panchayat Sarpanch and Secretary. From now on, those Sarpanchs who give permission to such unauthorised warehouses without the necessary permission will also be considered guilty and criminal action will be taken against them. Since this entire area comes under the jurisdiction of MMRDA, the revenue department and MMRDA should form a team and verify all such warehouses.”

He further stated that warehouses in the Bhiwandi area play an important role in the entire supply chain. Therefore, keeping in mind the requirements of the warehouses, instructions will be given to the MMRDA to create clusters of them and set up fire stations, as well as to set up a system to control such constructions with the help of satellite-based technology, Geo-Spatial, he added.

He also instructed the development of a logistics park with warehouses equipped with all the facilities to complement the supply chain along the Samruddhi Highway.

–IANS

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