MUMBAI, March 24: Maharashtra Legislative Council chairman Jayantrao Tilak today directed the state government to hold a meeting with the owner of Mukesh Mills, which was recently gutted in a fire, and find a solution to the threat of unemployment felt by the mill's workers within 15 days.Tilak's directive came after the opposition as well as ruling party members grilled Co-operation and Textiles Minister Dr Jaiprakash Mundada over the alleged sabotage behind the fire, which broke out on the wee hours of February 2, 1998 and reduced the mill (closed since 1982) to ashes. The members said the mill owner wanted to sell the land and charged that the fire had been planned.The question regarding the mill was asked by Ashok Modak, Prakash Jawdekar (both BJP), Shishir Shinde, Ravindra Mirlekar (both Shiv Sena), Chhagan Bhujbal, Arun Mehta, and Vasant Chavan (all Congress). Replying to it, Mundada said it was estimated that property worth Rs 1.70 crore was destroyed in the fire, though the insurance company'sreport was awaited. He, however, ruled out the possibility of sabotage. The minister's reply sparked off hot debate in the house, forcing a visibly helpless Mundada to sit down. Mirlekar said, ``The mill premises were being used by producers to shoot films every day, and various related equipments were lying inside. A rent-a-car company was also operating from within the premises, and many cars were parked. Surprisingly, when the fire broke, no shooting was going on, all equipments had been taken away, and none of the cars were around. The mill workers, who know details of the mill structure, were prevented from helping the fire brigade. All these facts clearly point to a sabotage.'' To this, Mundada answered: ``The crime branch is investigating the case and a detailed report is awaited.''Jawadekar pointed out, ``A certain Arun Jadhav, who happens to be a peon with the mill, is absconding since the day the fire broke. Surprisingly, the workers are being summonned to the Bhoiwada court and being harassed.Where has this Jadhav gone? Will the state government withdraw the cases filed against the workers?'' To this, Mundada said the mill owner had filed the cases, and the search was on for Jadhav.Sandesh Kondwilkar charged there was a proposal to build a five-star hotel on the mill land, and the owner purposely arranged for destruction of the mill. Mehta said the government had leased the land to the mill owner to produce cotton. ``If the person is not using the land for the same purpose, the state government should immediately take possession of the land,'' he added. Mundada said he will have a word with the Chief Minister Manohar Joshi regarding this matter. The discussions were over with Tilak directing the minister and Joshi to hold a meeting with the mill owner and find a solution favourable to mill workers.
