Journalism of Courage
A Citizens’ group has opposed the state government move to merge 34 villages in PMC citing inefficiency of civic administration to ensure basic civic amenities in the existing jurisdiction.
“It is evident that once a city goes beyond a certain size it is difficult to ensure delivery of municipal services such as drinking water supply, sewage and solid waste management, roads, electricity, housing and most importantly, transport facilities. At present Pune is one of the costliest cities to live in. It is also one of the most polluted cities in India and suffers from congestion and poor infrastructure,” said Satish Khot of National Society for Clean Cities.
The Pune Municipal Corporation has not been able to manage the current population and their requirements, he said, adding, “It will be in the interests of these villages to strengthen their own local bodies, manage their land use policies and create decentralised centres for livelihoods.”
Khot added, “The Pune Metropolitan Region will be almost a megapolis with two urban agglomerations, several cantonments, municipal councils and 300 plus villages. It will be better for these villages to be a part of the PMR on their own terms rather than as part of the Pune Municipal Corporation.”
Sudhir Kulkarni of Nagrik Hakk Sanstha has written to the state government that the PMC has been unable to give 50 per cent of proposed civic amenities to citizens in its jurisdiction. “The civic body is marred with problems of water supply, illegal construction, traffic. The 42 per cent of the population of the city lives in slums,” he said, adding that the situation of 23 villages merged in PMC in 1997 is very bad.
“There is no master plan in place to develop civic amenities in the 23 villages. Thus, the state government should not add more villages in PMC area as that would create further problem,” he said.
As per government notification, the 34 villages proposed to be merged include Mhalunge, Sus, Bavdhan, Kirkitwadi, Pisoli, remaining parts of Lohegaon, Kondhwe-Dhawade, Kopre, Nanded, Khadakwasla, Shivane, remaining parts of Hadapsar, Mundhwa (remaining parts of Keshavnagar), Manjari, Narhe, Shivane, Ambegaon (Budruk), Undri, Dhayari, Ambegaon (Khurd), Urali Devachi, Mantarwadi, Holkarwadi, Handewadi, Wadachiwadi, Shewalewadi, Phursungi, Yewalewadi, Nandoshi, Mangdewadi, Bhilarewadi, Gujar Nimbalkarwadi, Jambhulwadi and Kolewadi.
