Private hands to look after PCB gardens

The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) has decided to outsource garden maintenance to private agencies,owing to staff shortage,despite opposition from some Board members.

The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) has decided to outsource garden maintenance to private agencies,owing to staff shortage,despite opposition from some Board members. The Board had received five proposals for its bids issued last month.

PCB vice-president Sangeeta Pawar said,We are short of manpower to carry out the maintenance of gardens. So we have decided to outsource the work.

Some members are against the policy to outsource the works of smaller nature to private agencies.

Elected member Manzoor Nazir Shiekh said,the policy of giving out every other work to private agencies needs to be reviewed. The PCB has issued bids for not only maintenance of gardens but also minor repair of drains and pavements.

A panel will study the proposals,after which they will go to the general body for approval. PCB officials said the contract would be for at least a year. The work is estimated to cost between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore.

Our staff requirement has grown as now the board has to carry out activities like spreading awareness on swine flu and fumigating areas to prevent malaria and dengue, said a PCB official.

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