The verdict by the Bombay High Court to transfer the orange processing factory at Katol to Maharashtra Agro Industries Development Corporation (MAIDC) has paved the way for starting of this defunct unit. It will have larger impact as far as orange producing industry is concerned. According to Salil Deshmukh, Member of Zilla Parishad and youth leader of Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), his 15-year long legal battle has finally succeeded. The factory was first proposed in Narkhed by late MLC Sunil Shinde, MLC Ramesh Gupta, former Minister Ranjit Deshmukh, ex-President of Narkhed Municipal Council Virendra Deshmukh.

 

Later on, the project shifted to Katol. The orange processing factory in Katol has always been a point of controversy. Efforts were being made since long to start this project. It was the desire of the people that this project should start soon. As soon as Anil Deshmukh won the elections in 2019, he took a complete review of the project that was in court again. MAIDC had given this project to Nanded’s Sanytechnik Inst Pvt Ltd to run it. As the orange producers of Vidarbha, including Katol and Narkhed talukas, should benefit from it, the company concerned was not doing any work regarding this perspective. Anil Deshmukh started a legal battle on this issue. Salil Deshmukh continuously followed up on this serious issue and a case was filed in the court.

 

The verdict has been declared and the decision to transfer this orange processing factory back to MAIDC has been given by the Bombay High Court. Salil Deshmukh said that he will try to develop this project through MAIDC. But in the meantime, ED action was taken against him. In light of this, Anil Deshmukh followed up on the situation. He held many meetings with senior officials of MAIDC’s office at Krishi Udyog Bhavan, Mumbai. Senior lawyer Mahesh Shukla was appointed on behalf of the entire farmers of Katol, Narkhed talukas to fight this battle in the court. He argued in the court that since the project was not being run by the company whom it was allotted to, it should be handed over to MAIDC. After hearing both sides, Justice Sharmila Deshmukh decided to open the seals of this project to MAIDC and hand it over within 4 weeks. Welcoming this decision, Salil Deshmukh said that efforts will be made to start this project soon. Charan Singh Thakur, Katol MLA told ‘The Hitavada’, “The factory was not functioning for the last several years. Our Government since long has been trying to start it. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis gave special attention to start it. Unfortunately, due to several reasons, the project remained neglected. The machines have become outdated. I have been trying to start the project with momentum. We have planned to bring new machines and facelift the factory. This will provide not only a good job opportunity but also boost orange growers’ confidence.”