Neral hunger strike enters fourth day, MLA Thorve gives assurances on several demands
Activist Gorakh Shep says his fast will continue until the Kalyan-Karjat road is cleared of encroachments, though several of his demands have moved forward.
The fourth day of the hunger strike by social activist Gorakh Shep, a talking point across Karjat taluka, brought progress for him. Several issues moved forward after MLA Mahendra Thorve stepped in. Shep nonetheless made it clear that the fast will not be called off until action against encroachments is complete.
Shep is also a Right to Information activist. He began the fast on September 28 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Neral over civic problems in Neral village and encroachments on roads. Leaders of several political parties, including Sudhakar Ghare of the Nationalist Congress Party and Nitin Sawant of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction, have visited the site to express support.
On Thursday, Thorve reached the protest site. He had summoned all the officials there to discuss Shep's demands, and went through the issues one by one. He then assured that he would himself meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde so that Neral gets a municipal council or nagar panchayat and the matter can be resolved.
The block development officer was ordered to submit a report within 10 days on irregularities in the gram panchayat over the past five years and during the administrator's tenure. Thorve also said he would inform the chief executive officer of the zilla parishad so that action could be taken against those found guilty.
Allegations are being made about who grabbed land meant for Neral's dumping ground. Thorve said the gram panchayat has paid the measurement fees to fix the site there. He assured that if the survey finds that land was grabbed, action will be taken immediately.
MLA Thorve also assured that action on the solid waste management project would begin with training so that waste is actually processed. The tap water scheme is stalled for lack of funds. A meeting will be held with the state's Water Supply Minister Gulabrao Patil and efforts will be made to secure the funds. Thorve also assured that the tap water scheme will be completed before 2027.
Shep said, "The MLA came here and gave orders to all the officials, so many of the issues raised in the fast are being resolved. I am grateful to the MLA for this. My fast will continue until the Kalyan-Karjat road is free of encroachments."
