Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday in the state Assembly announced that a special campaign will be launched to restore the land seized from the poor in various parts of Maharashtra.

He told the house that the government has received complaints that the lands of the poor are being grabbed by intimidation, force or by showing them bait. He was replying to a question raised by the Congress legislator Aslam Shaikh in this regard.

Minister Bawankule said, “A complaint was received that unauthorised construction was being done on the land of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s heir, Yashwant Bhimrao Ambedkar, in Golavli, Kalyan taluka. About 72 flats and 8 commercial buildings were constructed on this land. All these unauthorised constructions have been demolished, and this land has been given back to the heirs of Babasaheb Ambedkar. The then concerned officials will be investigated in this regard, and action will be taken against them. There is no fault of the citizens who took flats and buildings in this building. Action will be taken to pay them compensation.”

He further said that the Revenue Department will control the sale huts in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region area in collaboration with the relevant agencies.

“The government is serious about taking action against such land mafias. Strict action will be taken against them. The relevant agencies should protect those places so that there is no encroachment on government land anywhere. Discussions will be held with the Chief Minister regarding making a law to prevent encroachment on government lands. Action will be taken by informing the Nagpur District Collector regarding encroachment on government lands in Nagpur city,” he added.

Meanwhile, Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil in the state council said that the Soil and Water Conservation Department is implementing the ‘Sediment-free Dam, Sediment-filled Shivar’ scheme to remove silt accumulated in small irrigation projects.

Along with this, a programme has been undertaken to remove encroachments in the dam area, and this is being surveyed through drones. He was replying to a question raised by Shiv Sena legislator Manisha Kayande regarding the provision of funds for the cleaning of lakes.

Minister Vikhe Patil said that under the ‘Sediment-free dam, sediment-filled Shivar’ scheme implemented through public participation, farmers are provided with a fund of Rs 35.75 per cubic meter within a limit of Rs 15,000 through the District Collector for removing silt. He also said that the machinery of the Mechanical Department will be used effectively for removing silt.

–IANS

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