While the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) is planning to soon conduct a lottery for allotting 2,521 houses
to mill workers, there have been allegations of not weeding out unscrupulous applications made for these houses located in Thane district.
According to the MHADA, the agency is seeking Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's time so that the lottery can be conducted for these houses obtained from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
Raising an eyebrow over the names finalised for taking part in the draw,
the Mill Workers Association has alleged duplication of applicants. A letter of complaint regarding the issue has been even submitted to MHADA for action, it underscored.
Shramik Sanghatna of Mill Workers Association chairman B K Ambre asserted, "Over 12,000 participants are duplicate applicants. Despite complaining about it to MHADA, their names have not been removed. We will protest against it."
He said that agitation will also be held as the lottery houses in Navi Mumbai haven't been handed yet even after allotting them several years ago.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a MHADA official specified that the documents will be scrutinised at the time of house allotment. "If anyone is found of document duplication or is already a beneficiary then the house will not be given," he said.
There are nearly 1.75 lakh mill workers and their descendants who are waiting for their houses. In the past 22 years, MHADA has allotted houses to just 18,000 mill workers, while it's now planning to allot 75,000 houses, constructed in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, in the next two years. A proposal regarding the same was made to the Mill workers Association, and a final decision is awaited.
