While Mumbai breathes easy after Monday's bandh is revoked, the Shiv Sena, mill workers and the government have a headache to grapple with after contrary reports emerge on whether union leaders traded free homes for affordable housing The cloud looming over the city has been finally avertedu00a0-- the bandh called by the Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janta Party and Republican Party of India (Athawale) on August 1 has been called off. <img alt="" src="/imagedata/2011/jul/Uddhav1.jpg" border="5" /> (Left to right) Contrary claims were made by the Maharashtra government led by CM Prithviraj Chavan, and senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde, Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray and RPI chief Ramdas Athavale (pic/satyajit desai) regarding the outcome of Saturday's negotiations with mill workers. imaging/ Dharmesh Rathod Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray had called for a bandh on July 28, following a protest march on Thursday of 60,000 mill workers and party workers to demand free housing for mill workers. However, confusion looms over the resolution of the housing problem with the Congress-led coalition government, mill workers unions and Shiv Sena singing different tunes. While Thackeray reiterated his stand for free housing for mill workers, a meeting between Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and 24 representatives of nine mill workers' unions on Saturday resulted in an agreement that the workers will be provided affordable, not free, accommodation, say government sources. It was also decided that an all-party committee that will include mill workers' representatives, would be formed to look into the matter. "The union leaders told the CM to allot the first lot of 6,948 homes to the workers who had worked in the mills in which these houses have been constructed. The committee will also work out an affordable price for these homes," a highly placed source in the government told Sunday MiD DAY. On Friday, Chavan had stated in the state legislative assembly that only 16,000 of the 1.05 lakh mill workers can be accommodated, and it would not be free of cost. The existing 225 sq feet single-bedroom houses have been constructed in 18 mill lands located in Mazagaon, Worli, Prabhadevi, Byculla, and Parel. Six months ago, the price for these houses was brought down from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 8 lakh after protests by mill workers' unions. The all-party committee is expected to revise this cost and bring it down further, the government source added. However, mill workers' union leader Uday Bhatt told Sunday MiD DAY that their demand for free housing remains, indicating a possible rift among the workers' unions. "Our demand for free housing still exists, and we will never let it go. We do not understand how the issue of affordable housing has come up. We deserve free housing and we will get it," he said. Datta Ishwalkar, another mill union leader agreed with Bhatt. "The government agreed to our basic demand of housing for everyone mentioned in attendance sheets till 1982. Our main demand continues to remain that the government give us free housing. There is no second opinion on this subject. The government has asked for time to think on it and we have obliged," said Ishwalkar. u00a0 Reacting to statements that the mill workers have acceded to the government's stand, Thackeray told the media on Saturday, "The demand of free housing is always there and we have not moved away from it. The CM has asked for some time and we will wait. After two months, we will be back on the streets, with the mill union leaders if the demands of the mill workers aren't met." In the Saturday meeting, Chavan asked for two months to sort out the issue of housing costs and three months to assess the availability of land. Chavan told the union leaders that 41 mills are expected to hand over their land to construct at least 15,000 houses. Those will also be distributed to the workers attached with those mills.

While Mumbai breathes easy after Monday's bandh is revoked, the Shiv Sena, mill workers and the government have a headache to grapple with after contrary reports emerge on whether union leaders traded free homes for affordable housing

Bandh called off, but mill workers caught in political stand-off

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Mumbai / Mumbai News / Article / Bandh called off, but mill workers caught in political stand-off

Bandh called off, but mill workers caught in political stand-off

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast