Don’t delay DP work, says Tupe

.Stating that unbalanced development in the metropolitan area will pose several problems, Tupe said a new development plan for the city along with the plan for the merged village areas should be formulated for a balanced development.

Tupe expressed resentment over the manner in which frequent changes were made in the development plans. “Despite going through the rigorous formalities of inviting suggestions and objections from people, why is it that the land reservations for civic amenities are removed and the plans are altered. No one should fall victim to any pressures. The development plan should be strictly implemented,” Tupe said.

He cited the case of the high capacity mass transport route in the development plan of the city formulated in 1987. “The route exists only on paper as there are numerous encroachments at the proposed site.”

The State Government is similarly falling to various pressures and is altering the route for the easterly diversion and other major roads. At least proper marking should be made at the site immediately so that no unauthorised developments take place there, he said.

Tupe, who the organisers mentioned is referred to as “giant killer” in Delhi, said that he was strongly opposed to exploitation of farmers for developmental projects such as the mega city. Urging that small townships should be developed in the village areas, Tupe cited the example of the proposed project at Magarpatta where an ideal township is being developed on 450 acres of land with the initiative of farmers. In the city, he said, there should not be just a single garbage depot, but additional depots should be formed for various major areas.

Asserting that elected representatives alone do not have the capacity to implement the developmental works, Tupe urged the citizens to act as pressure groups so that the works are implemented speedily. He cautioned citizens for protecting the hill tops and urged that no residential activity should take place there.

Pat for Jha
Congress MP Vitthal Tupe on Sunday gave compliments to former Municipal Commissioner Ramanath Jha for the various developmentalworks planned and implemented by him during his tenure. Tupe blamed the corporators and their egoistic wranglings which, he said, hampered the pace of developmental works. “If we (the entire corporators) had supported him, the pace of developmental activity would have further picked up momentum”, Tupe observed. “It was during his tenure that the work costing Rs 427 crore of augmentation of water supply for the city was begun. Plans for sewerage treatment plants were also prepared. No major sewerage project has been undertaken in the city since 1917, he said. I thank Jha on behalf of all the citizens of Pune,” Tupe said.

Tupe however was indirectly critical of Suresh Kalmadi, his predecessor. Tupe charged that the MP fund of Rs 1 crore for the year 1997-98 had nearly lapsed just because the list of the development projects was not sent to the central planning commission in time. The fund would have lapsed if it was not used during the year. Just two days before the end of the financial year, a certainamount of the fund was made available. This was only after a short list of development projects was sent to the central planning authority, he said.