Navi Mumbai: The Panvel civic body withdrew its proposal to hand over a 5,000 sqm plot (over an acre) worth around Rs 200 crore to an educational trust run by a political family for 30 years. Opposition party members strongly opposed the proposal in the general body meeting and questioned why such a prime plot reserved for a civic school, along with a playground, should be given to a private educational trust at a throwaway price, with a lease rent of Rs 56,604 per month, while the PCMC still struggled to get hold of land plots for public use from Cidco. The plot, located near Vadale talao, will now be developed by the PCMC as a school, and it will be named after ex-MP Ram Thakur, father of the current BJP MLA Prashant Thakur. Ram Thakur’s younger son, sitting corporator Paresh Thakur, offered to donate Rs 10 crore towards the school’s development. The plot had a nearly 22-year-old history, and it was earlier proposed to be given to Janardan Bhagat Shikshan Prasarak Sanstha, Panvel, whose founder chairman was the same ex-MP, Ram Thakur. In Nov 2004, the Panvel Municipal Council (PMC) proposed handing over this prime land to the Janardhan Bhagat Shikshan Prasarak Sanstha, but the state urban development department did not approve it at that time. With the formation of PCMC, the proposal was moved in the general body meeting to give away this land to the educational trust at a low cost for 30 years, and it was therefore opposed. PWP, Sena-UBT and Congress netas Arvind Mhatre, Leena Garad and Haresh Keni opposed the proposal during the general body meeting debate. Demanding cancellation of the proposal, Keni said, “The plot is now worth Rs 150 cr – Rs 200 cr. Can’t the PCMC with a Rs 4,853 cr budget construct a school, and what is the need for handing over the plot? Will the sanstha (trust) provide free of cost education to the poor?” Mayor Nitin Patil directed the administration to present a fresh proposal in the next general body meeting. Opposition leaders accepted the suggestion to name the school after the ex-MP.
