Politicians have brought Wagle Ind Estate's bad state : Mr Pradhan

Thane, Dec 6 (UNI) First Mayor of Thane city and the Ex-Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Mr Satishchandra Pradhan squarely blamed the political parties, and politicians for the dismel state of the one time prestigious Wagle Industrial Estate here.

Last night, while addressing the 44th Annual General Meeting of Thane Manufacturer's Association he said that he was associated with the association for more than 40 years and had seen the association growing and earning name for the city in all over the the world.

He recalled that it was in 1967 when he was elected to the municipal council he got an opportunity through the invitation of late W G Desai to attend the annual general meeting of the association and since then he has a bondage with the association.

He informed, ''Whenever I toured the world in various capacities those abroad had a high respect for me as I came from Thane the city which had the best of the Industries in the Asian region.'' He further compared the earlier days and the present and blamed the political parties and admisitration for its faulty politics that brought the sorry state of affairs here.

He did not elaborate the policies but meant the power tariff, loaning, octroi and industrial policy as being responsible for the industries in Wagle Estate going into red.

The estate was buzzing with brisk activities which was the dream of the then Maharashtra Industries Minister S G Barve, and the TMA had many a distinguished visitors including Y B Chavan, S B Chavan, and Vasantrao Naik to name a few he said and the tradition continued.

He further said that in the recent past the industrial estate was gradually getting out of the red and situation is improving and this should continue ever long and once again should start buzzing with brisk activities and bring a name and fame for the city he said.

He advised that like the administration the industrialists in the industrial estate should also take pains to see to their growth and strive for its growth, and bring life into the estate is now in dismel situation he said.

Tata Power Trading Company MD Mr Amulya Charan also spoke on the occasion as the chief guest touched upon the present power situation in the state and called for improvement in the same.

Mr Charan noted that the captive power generation was on the increase and said that the sectoral and industrial mismatches should be set right.

During the meeting, Chairman of the Association Mr. G D (Bhausheb) Kelkar handed over charge to the new Chairman Mr S S Bapat and Meyer Orangics Pvt Ltd MD Mr C D Bendre was awarded the Industry Man of the Year.

UNI