The Maharashtra government has leased 1,200 acres of fertile land in Ahilyanagar’s Haregaon village to Vishwaraj Renewables Private Limited, a Mumbai-based company owned by Sarang Lakhani.
The allotments have raised questions about the process followed, the terms of the leases and the claims of the original farming families over the land. Supriya Sule responded to the controversy by saying that her son-in-law’s business and professional activities were entirely his personal matter. “What business or work my son-in-law does is entirely his personal matter. How can I comment on it?” she asked.
Sarang Lakhani is the son-in-law of Supriya Sule and son of BJP MLC Arun Lakhani, who is considered close to Devendra Fadnavis.
He is the son-in-law of NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule and son of BJP MLC Arun Lakhani, who is considered close to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Social activist Anjali Damania questioned the allotment of government land to a private company without a tender process. She asked why a tender was not floated for a deal involving such a large tract of land and whether competitive bidding could have fetched the government a higher lease amount. she raised concerns over the allotment process and the terms of the lease While speaking with NDTV. Damania pointed out that in June, the government had decided to develop a green energy park on the land through Mahaurja under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. She questioned who had directed this change in policy, adding that the Government Resolution did not provide any reason for it. She further questioned why the security deposit had been waived. Damania alleged that some businesspeople enter politics and use political power to make money. The order allows Vishwaraj Renewables to lease the land to its subsidiary or another company within its group, subject to government approval. The company has also been exempted from obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Maharashtra State Farming Corporation for this purpose. The allotment has brought renewed attention to the long-standing land dispute in Haregaon. The original landowners and their families have continued to demand the return of their land. However, portions of the land under the corporation’s control are now being allotted on lease for defence and energy projects.
The land, held by the Maharashtra State Farming Corporation, has been leased to the company for 49 years, according to an order issued on October 5. The allotment comes within two weeks of the government issuing the order to lease 1,500 acres of land to another private firm, Nibe Group. The government has also allotted 1,500 acres to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for defence-related projects. However, just three months later, in September, the same 1,200 acres were allotted directly to a single private company. She also questioned the provision for a 48-year lease, extendable by another 48 years, and asked why the land was not initially leased for five years on a trial basis. The order refers to a meeting held on June 23 involving Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Industries Minister Uday Samant and Environment Minister Pankaja Munde. During British rule, around 7,376 acres of land were acquired from local farmers. The state government decided on September 15, to return land to the original farmers. The government had issued an order on August 23 to lease 1,500 acres to the Nibe Group and another 1,500 acres to the DRDO. The October 5 order provides for the lease of an additional 1,200 acres to Vishwaraj Renewables.
