Jalna: A heated debate was witnessed between Maharashtra`s Minister for Higher and Technical Education Rajesh Tope of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress MLA Kailash Gorantyal at a press conference held here on Thursday, after a meeting of the District Planning and Development Committee (DPDC).
Gorantyal accused Tope of not taking him into confidence about issues regarding a CIDCO township. He said that Tope had called a meeting of farmers whose lands are to be acquired for a CIDCO township near the MIDC area at Aurangabad Road.
The MLA alleged that even officers were called for the meeting which was held in Mumbai, but he was sidelined.
Gorantyal said that he had opposed the township near the MIDC area due to pollution and said that a residential area should not come up near MIDC as toxic pollutants are emitted by industrial units.
He alleged that though the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board also opposed the move, Tope supported it, claiming that he had no personal interest in the township.
However, Gorantyal ridiculed Tope for taking credit for releasing funds for development of the town and said that funds were released under the Urban Renewal Development Mission of the union government and not the state government.
Later, Tope called district collector Shyam Deshpande to clarify the point before reporters, after which Deshpande came to the spot and supported Tope`s statement.
