Pune Beat

PMC GB okays dezoning of plotThe general body of the Pune Municipal Corporation today passed a resolution allowing the State Government t...

PMC GB okays dezoning of plot
The general body of the Pune Municipal Corporation today passed a resolution allowing the State Government to initiate process to cancel public and semi-public PSP zoning of a 36-acre plot in Yerawada. The resolution was passed without discussion. Not a single corporator asked as to why the government felt it necessary to cancel the PSP zoning and convert it into a residential zone.

The corporators8217; silence assumes significance since most of them had vehemently opposed the proposal when it came for discussion at the City Improvements Committee. The corporation will now initiate the process to cancel the zoning of the land, owned by Mukund Bhavan Trust under section 37 1 of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act MRTP.

The issue had rocked the corporation when the administration received a letter from the Urban Development Ministry on July 13 last year which had asked the corporation to initiate the process for cancellation of the PSP zoning and to convert it into residential zone. It was strongly opposed by the city improvements committee. The committee, however, decided to take the decision after visiting the land.

Later, the panel approved the proposal on April 15 this year. Official sources said the Trust had challenged the government decision in the Supreme Court and had won the case. The apex court had asked the government to surrender the entire land in Yerawada. But a number of structures had come up on the acquired land. The government opted for a compromise formula. The government had promised to surrender the unused land in lieu of the acquired land. The government asked the corporation to change the zoning to keep its promise.

Reservoirs swell
The three main reservoirs feeding Pune city have seen an increase in their total content following the incessant rain that has lashed the city and surrounding areas in the past two days. Khadakwasla reservoir which recorded a total content of 37.26 million cubic metres mcm has increased to 40.53 mcm. Its capacity is 56 mcm. Panshet reservoir has recorded a total capacity of 63.01 mcm, up from 53.92 recorded on Monday. Its capacity is 294 mcm. Koyna reservoir8217;s content has increased to 1428.99 mcm from 1027 mcm recorded on Monday. Its capacity is 2677 mcm.