New villages in civic limits: Activists question availability of resources

The state government's move to merge 28 more villages in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits has not gone down well with public and activists considering the fact that the civic body was struggling to provide basic facilities to the existing civic jurisdiction.

In its opinion sought by the civic legal committee to a proposal in this regard, the civic administration had favoured inclusion of 28 villages in PMC limits without mentioning anything about additional water quota for the new areas or making provision to tackle the waste generated there.

The proposal of extending the boundaries of the city was pending with the legal committee which had sought opinion of civic administration with details on approval of water to meet the needs of the area, management of solid waste, resolution of merger passed by the gram panchayat and receiving government notification on getting 80 per cent funds for development of these villages.

On October 17, Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak conveyed to the committee that the PMC was already providing water to 24 villages located around the civic body limits, while there would be need to make provisions for the remaining villages.

"There is no place other than the existing Uruli Devachi and Phursungi for waste management," he said.

The civic chief said it has been noticed that there was absence of road network and basic civic facilities in these villages, but they were witnessing rapid urbanisation due to their proximity to city limits.

Stating that the illegal constructions were rapidly taking place in these villages, Pathak said, "The PMC will have to face similar difficulties as they were while planning for Dhankawadi, Kalas and Vadgaonsheri. Therefore, it would be proper to merge these villages in PMC limits as soon as possible before the situation gets out of hands."

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