PIMPRI: German Consul General Dr Jüergen Morhard has demanded that the police should help companies to get rid of the organised crime syndicate in industrial areas. He met Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner RK Padmanabhan last week to discuss the issue.
Officials said the Chief Minister’s office has also been alerted about the growing mafia in industrial areas of Pimpri, Bhosari, Talegaon and Chakan, as these crime syndicates are a threat to the government’s flagship initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make in Maharashtra’.
Morhard demanded early resolution of problems related to tenders, tanker mafia, labourers issues in the guise of mathadi workers in the industrial zones. He further told the police commissioner that there about 200 German companies in industrial areas. Also, the number of other foreign companies is also very high. These companies have been suffering due to mafia over the past few years.
Complaints have been made in the past by companies officials about being threatened whenever they ask for water supply, unskilled workers, mathadi workers and award scrap and various contracts. About this, the head of the companies had met senior officers of the Pune rural police, when these areas were under their jurisdiction. However, the problems were not resolved following which the companies approached their foreign ministry consulate in India.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerate began functioning from August 15 this year and has been carved out of jurisdictions of Pune city and rural police areas.
Pressure for contracts
Officials said that there is always pressure to award contracts to some specific persons or politicians’ henchmen. Also, incidents like firing, murder, attempt to murder and other such incidents have already taken place in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Chakan and Talegaon industrial belt. Besides, the workers also suffer from local goons. Meanwhile, some companies have complained to their head offices that they are pressurised by persons having politicians’ support to appoint certain private security guard companies.
Chief Minister’s office intervenes
The Chief Minister’s office was informed of the issue by complaints made by the German consulate. Additional Chief Secretary Praveensinh Pardeshi also reviewed the complaints. After this, the Home Department has been directed to take immediate steps and the CM’s office will keep a track of the implementation of this action plan.
Police Commissioner Padmanabhan told Sakal Times, “German Consul General Dr Jürgen Morhard met me last week and raised issues related to security and extortion faced by companies located in MIDC areas. Earlier their complaints were not taken seriously but now, as these areas have been included under the commissionerate, we have posted new officers in Chakan, Talegaon and other areas and we have assured the companies that their complaints will be taken seriously.”
