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PUNE, JUNE 15: The State Government would consider the demand of regularising illegal constructions in the Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township ...

PUNE, JUNE 15: The State Government would consider the demand of regularising illegal constructions in the Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township Development Authority PCNTDA sectors by penalising the owners of such constructions, State Minister for Urban Development Kalidas Kolambkar said here recently.

Kolambkar who held a three-hour long meeting with the PCNTDA officials and the elected members regarding the illegal constructions, earlier undertook a whirlwind tour to the areas where there has been an unchecked growth of illegal constructions. During the meeting, most members and citizens8217; delegations demanded that the PCNTDA should regularise the illegal constructions by penalising the residents. Kolambkar, while asserting that the demand would be considered, directed the PCNTDA to take stern measures to prevent any further growth of illegal constructions. Significantly Kolambkar said that a decision regarding the illegal constructions would be taken soon because Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray himself has shown keen eagerness in the matter.

The meeting was attended among others by Mayor Madhukar Pawle, MLA Gajanan Babar, Municipal Commissioner B I Nagrale who is holding additional charge as the PCNTDA executive officer, Opposition leader Amrut Parhad and PCNTDA members. The citizens delegations from Thergaon, Bhosari, Chikhli, Kalewadi and Rahatni also attended the meeting.

Some of the members including former mayor R S Kumar charged that the PCNTDA officials were responsible for the spate of illegal constructions. Former Opposition leader Ankush Landge too maintained that the official machinery itself was responsible for the growth of illegal constructions. However, independent corporator Kumar Jadhav charged that the members themselves encouraged people to undertake illegal constructions.

Babar said that elaborate rules should be framed for planned development. It is necessary for the government to undertake an indepth study regarding the entire issue and then initiate action, he added. He urged that the government should take an early decision regarding the illegal constructions.

Meanwhile, Kolambkar in reply to additional queries by the members said that the government would soon take a decision regarding appointment of PCNTDA chairman and the chief executive officer.

Nagrale said that the PCNTDA faced difficulties in keeping a check on the illegal constructions because it neither had a separate police cell nor staff for the anti-encroachment department. In reply to another query he said that cent of the farmers from whom land was acquired by the PCNTDA were given plots under the directives from the state government.