Pune Newsline; Manoj More; Feb 26, 2011,
Pune Mayor Yogesh Behl says no controversy over the issue. Even as Defence Minister A K Antony has sought a report in the PCMC flats scheme for slum-dwellers within 2,000 yards of the Ammunition Depot at Dehu Road, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Friday reiterated that there was no violation of any norms and it would go all-out to protect 11,000 flats “meant for slum population that remained neglected for years”.
Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Babar had met the Defence Minister in New Delhi on Thursday and requested him to look into the matter.
“Antony said he would seek a report in the matter,” said Babar. This, however, does not seem to have caused any ripples in the PCMC headquarters. The mayor and the civic chief dismissed all allegations and vowed to make the dream of the poor come true.
Pointing out that there was “no controversy” whatsover over the issue, Mayor Yogesh Behl said the PCMC was in possession of the proposal written by Southern Command to Defence Ministry seeking reduction in the notified land of 2,000 yards from the Ammunition Depot, Dehu Road. “The Southern Command had in 2008 sent a proposal to the Defence Ministry, seeking reduction in the 2,000 yard norm to 1,140 yards. This was decided by the Command officials after a meeting with civic and district officials,” the mayor said.
Senior civic official said the reduction proposal was prepared by relying on what has been done in other areas of Pune. “Even near Ammunition Factory, Khadki you will find flats and chawls just a little distance away. Similar is the case with Red Zone in Bhosari,” they said.
Stating that the Southern Command had never objected to the construction of the project, the mayor said PCMC came up with the plan in 2000 while the Army notification for 2,000 yards came in 2002. “When the Army notified the area, it should have conveyed it to PCMC, PCNTDA and MIDC officials, but the Army never did that,” he said.
Behl said the PCMC had written at least 10 times to the Defency Ministry seeking clarification of the land in vicinity of the Ammunition Depot. “The Defence Ministry never replied and even now they have not said anything,” he said.
Municipal Commissioner Asheesh Sharma said they would put a solid defence whenever the Defence Ministry seeks information from PCMC. “We maintain that we have not violated any norms. The land was transferred to us by PCNTDA which had issued us a commencement certificate,” he said.
Both Sharma and Behl said they would do their best to protect the flats for slum-dwellers. “Though some people are trying to raise controversy over flats of the poor people, we will go out to protect them,” he said.
Corporator Seema Salve, whose RTI application created controversy over the 11,000 flats being constructed by the civic body in Sector 22 in Nigdi, said PCMC’s contention that it was never informed by the Army was misleading. “We are in possession of several letters written by the Army for past eight years. These letters clearly reveal that PCMC knew about the status of the land near ammunition depot. Yet, PCMC choose to ignore it,” she said.
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