The cover page of the Environment Status Report (ESR) for 2008-09 by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) shows the map of India without the state of Kashmir. This has led to much ire among politicians in the city,cutting across party affiliations. No one noticed the anomaly in the ESR for the last three months when the report was first tabled on July 30. However,all hell broke loose on Thursday when Shiv Sena leader Shyam Deshpande pointed out the mistake on the cover page of the ESR and demanded stern action against the guilty. The pique against the civic administration for the serious mistake reached such a level that Mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale was forced to issue an order for stern action against those found responsible for the mistake. An inquiry committee has been set up to trace the issue to its roots and submit a report within a week naming those responsible for it. This shows the utter negligence of the civic officials. There is a need to take serious note of the mistake and initiate action against the responsible. Otherwise the citizens would say that the elected representatives have no control over the civic administration, Bhosale said. She said,I am ashamed of what has happened. Being the mayor,it shows me in bad light as well. It is high time the civic administration carried out self-assessment of their work,Bhosale said. The civic general body directed the administration to table the ESR once again after correcting the mistake and said all the copies of the ESR should be withdrawn. The meeting was adjourned after two hours. Responding to the strong protest by the elected representatives,additional municipal commissioner Umakant Dangat said a detailed inquiry would be conducted and stern action will be initiated against the guilty. Meanwhile,garden superintendent Bhanudas Mane under whose department the task of preparing the ESR falls said the disputed image of the globe showing the map of India was downloaded from the Internet. NCP leader Anil Bhosale said the incident has brought focus on the laxity of the civic administration and failure of the municipal commissioner to keep a check on his staff. He urged that the Mayor should bring the mistake to the notice of state and Union government and apologise for the same. Congress leader Ulhas Bagul said the negligence of the civic administration has brought shame to all. BJP leader Mukta Tilak said the civic administration has insulted the soldiers of the country.
