The FATE of Sundew Apartments on Prabhat Road would become clear in a day or two as the Supreme Courts deadline for either handing over the residential building to the Pune Municipal Corporation or its demolition by the builder expired on Tuesday. In the civic general body meeting held on Tuesday,Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak said after the Supreme Court deadline is over,the PMC role comes into play. The builder should take the initiative in handing over the building to the civic body as per the Supreme Court order, Pathak said in reponse to a query raised by NCP corporator Nilesh Nikam. Later,when contacted,Pathak said the civic administration would go as per the judgement of the apex court. He,however,did not specify whether the PMC will demolished it tomorrow. Nikam,however,said there was nothing concrete coming forth from the commissioner. I am disappointed. PMC does not seem to be ready, he said. Civic officials said till late evening,they had heard nothing from the builder. The officials said the PMC would act now only after Diwali. On October 12,upholding the strictures passed by the Bombay High Court against the then chief minister Manohar Joshi,the apex court had directed the Vyas Construction,owned by Girish Vyas,son-in-law of Joshi,to hand over possession of the 10-storied building,Sundew Apartment,to the Pune Municipal Corporation failing which the developer or PMC should take steps for demolition of the disputed building. The SC had directed the developer to give the possession of 22 flats in the Sundew Apartment to PMC and that it should be used for the same reason as stated in the development plan of PMC. Vijay Kumbhar,who had filed a petition against the alleged illegal construction by Vyas Constructions said he was also sorely disappointed that there was no movement on this front. The Supreme Court order called for action in two weeks from the date of its order on October 12. That means two weeks are over and still we get to hear nothing on this serious issue. Hope,the PMC will take decision action in a day or two, he said. Meanwhile,the civic general body meeting witnessed acrimonious debate over contractors who were allegedly deliberately delaying development works to make additional profits. Corporators demanded to know as to what had the administration done on its promise to act against errant contractors. The civic chief said his administration would take action against erring contractors after Diwali. The administration said they had issued show-cause notices to at least two contractors. The issue of land acquisition also figured in the house.
