Agarwal shields gloomy PMT

PUNE, Dec 2: The issue of recovery of outstanding arrears from the Pune Municipal Transport PMT is all set to snowball into another con...

PUNE, Dec 2: The issue of recovery of outstanding arrears from the Pune Municipal Transport PMT is all set to snowball into another controversy with Municipal Commissioner Rajiv Agarwal categorically stating that it was not feasible to collect the dues as long as the undertaking faces a massive deficit.

8220;We will have to shut down the PMT, if we even think of recovering the dues,8221; Agarwal told media persons on Tuesday, when queried about the civic administration8217;s seriousness in pursuing the collection of the outstanding arrears running into crores.

Incidentally, even as the standing committee gave the go-ahead to the administration8217;s proposal of acquiring the commercial complex at the PMT8217;s Hadapsar depot to recover its Rs three crore, Agarwal expressed surprise that the docket that had been prepared during former municipal commissioner Ramanath Jha8217;s tenure had suddenly come up for consideration after a year.

While Agarwal did not satisfactorily answer queries as to why the docket had been forwarded, he however stood by the administrative decision.

It may be recalled that the elected members of the Pune Municipal Corporation PMC had protested time and again towards extending financial aid to the PMT which had never returned the amount. They had protested against giving Rs three crore to the PMT for paying salary arrears to its employees at the cost of affecting the development works.

However, reacting to the standing committee8217;s decision of acquiring the comppex of the Hadapsar depot general manager Prithviraj Bayas who was also present at the commissioner8217;s office said that he was not aware of the resolution, but would examine the legality of the docket.

Bayas took the opportunity to clear the misconception that the grants extended by the PMC was a loan or offering financial aid by pointing out that as per Section 95 A of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation BPMC Act 8211; municipal transport 8211; along with water, electricity and sanitation were among the services that were to be subsidised.