'Bhosari MLA is taking false credit for development work'

Dattatray Sane

Locking horns with MLA Vilas Lande, PCMC corporator Dattatray Sane has alleged that the MLA is claiming credit for development projects that he never undertook.

Chikhali corporator Dattatray Sane (above) alleged that Bhosari MLA Vilas Lande took credit for development projects that he had never undertaken

The dispute began on Monday, when Chikhali corporator, Sane noticed a hoarding placed by the Bhosari MLA in his ward. The hoarding listed details of development work and expenditure in Geetai Colony, Chikhali, giving credit for the project to Lande.

According to the hoarding, Lande claimed to have spent Rs 3.98 lakh on the installation of interlocking concrete pavers in Geetai Colony, all from his Local Area Development (LAD) fund.

The Geetai Colony hoarding, according to which MLA Lande claimed to have spent Rs 3.98 lakh on the installation of interlocking concrete pavers. Pics/Shashank Sane

Outraged by the hoarding and the three others he discovered in Chikhali, Sane removed all of them with the help of fellow NCP members. "He is falsely taking credit for developmental work which was never done in the area," Sane told mid-day. He added that Lande had also taken credit for other projects in his ward that were actually funded and undertaken by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).

"Keeping an eye on upcoming assembly elections, Lande is misguiding people by displaying false information through these boards. The proof of it is PCMC's reply to my RTI application," said Sane, adding further that he had filed the application in 2013, to seek information about projects and expenditure in his ward under the MLA fund.

"The answer I received from PCMC was that since 2009, not a single rupee was spent for developmental work from the Bhosari MLA's fund. I particularly filed the RTI application for information about water supply, electricity and the architecture department, to see whether Lande spent his funds there. However, to my surprise, the remark for expenditure from his fund was ‘Nil'," he said.

The other side
MLA Lande, on the other hand, said it was obvious that he was going to take credit for work he had done in his constituency. He said that while the RTI had been filed in 2013, he had done all the development work this year, and the document did not reflect that. "Who has done what will be decided by the state government. I did lot of developmental work in my constituency, and I am firm on my stand," said Lande.