Textile Mill Owners' Land Development Plea Rejected

It has been a long-standing demand of mill owners that the FSI for mill lands be increased from 1.33 to 2. The Charles Correa committee is learnt to have recommended a similar increase in the FSI.

However, the crucial decision on whether to allow mills to develop their excess land is still awaited. Joshi recently announced that a decision on development of mill land will be taken within a month.

Millowners' Association president Nandan Damani refused to comment "unless I see in detail what the chief minister has said". The decision is expected to seriously affect the revival and modernisation plans of several sick and private units in Mumbai. It is not yet known if Joshi's diktat is applicable to NTC mills.

Joshi also rejected the demand of mill owners for treatment on par with other industries under development control (DC) rules. DC regulations stipulate that textile mills should make available around 65 per cent of land for public purposes as against a mere 17 per cent demanded from other industries.

Joshi's sudden decision on various aspects of development of mill land has apparently been prompted by an allegedly misleading press statement issued by the Millowners' Association of Joshi's speech at its AGM last Thursday.

Requests from nine private mills are pending with the state government for the past three years for sale and development of their excess land. The matter has not moved at all after the gruesome murder of Sunit Khatau, chairman of Khatau Makhanji Spinning & Weaving.