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Journalism of Courage
PUNE, June 25: The Pune municipal administration8217;s confession that building permission was denied to the double-storey construction at Dattawadi off Sinhagad Road for housing 56 displaced families from Rajendranagar slums, since it violated the civic development control DC rules led to uproarious scenes during the general body meeting today.
Deputy Mayor Bhagwan Kshirsagar and senior corporator Vijay Kale of the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP launched a virtual tirade against the administration for allowing the construction, which was nearing completion, and demanded stern action against the officers responsible for the faux pas.
Kshirsagar8217;s ire was apparently directed at former municipal commissioner Ramanath Jha for extending full support to the project executed by the slum dwellers themselves and actively promoted by Shelter Associates, a city-based non-government organisation NGO. Agarwal8217;s explanation that the novel project was allowed on experimental basis was rejected by the elected representatives, who stuck to their stance that it as an illegal work and hence unjustifiable.
The project for housing the economically weaker sections was being executed under the supervision of the slum improvement department. Kale alleged that the former municipal commissioner had misused the powers conferred upon him by the general body in case of the Dattawadi plot by unilaterally deciding to hand over part of it admeasuring 862 square metres to Shelter Associates.
The administration had further committed a grave error by allowing the construction activity without even bothering to sanction the building plans. The administration conceded that the plans were submitted for sanction of the building permission department in March 1997 and subsequently rejected. Though this type of construction was permitted in Mumbai for rehabilitating the slum dwellers, there was no such provision in the DC rules for Pune, Agarwal admitted.
Agarwal assurance Municipal Commissioner Rajiv Agarwal today said he would probe into the alleged illegal business of selling swimming costumes conducted by life guards posted at the Chhatrapati Shahu swimming tank at Somwar Peth.
The issue was raised during the civic general body meeting after Kapoor made a statement on yesterday8217;s drowning death.
