BORI hiding controversial repair works?

94-year-old research institute covers work site with plastic sheets; more than half its members give general body meeting a miss

The 94-year-old Bhandarkar Research Oriental Institute (BORI) insists the repair works being carried out at its Press Building is legal, yet it is keen to keep it under wraps. Before its annual general body meeting yesterday, the institute covered the work site with plastic sheets.Of the 250 members, only 100 turned up for its annual general body meeting yesterday. The meeting was held to decide the new regulating council body, president and honorary secretary.u00a0 "The present body is deliberately hiding repair work. Most GB members are not to be seen, as they fear questions will be raised on the issue," said a BORI employee, requesting anonymity.


A cover up? The Bhandarkar Oriental Reasearch Institute has hidden
the broken portions of the wall with plastic sheets. Pic/Vivek Sabnis

Heritage structure
MiD DAY had reported on June 9 that the institute demolished the side walls of its 76-year-old Press Building without permission. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has granted the institute permission only for repair works on its Tata Hall and Nizam Guest House. The Press Building was built in 1934 and comes under Grade I of the PMC heritage buildings list. The building shall be converted into a museum. At least Rs 1.5 crore has been spent on repairs, which includes work on the Nizam Guest House and Tata Hall.

Heritage panel says
Sharve Dhongde, PMC heritage committee member,u00a0 said the civic body would check the facts and the permission granted to BORI. "We shall issue a notice demanding an explanation if we find something wrong. The issue will be raised in the monthly heritage committee meeting and a decision shall be taken," Dhongde said.

The Other Side
Maitrayee Deshpande, honorary secretary, who was elected for a second time for three years, said the institute was not hiding anything. She said the walls were broken to repair the windows, which were in a bad shape and crumbling. "Conversion of the Press Building into a museum has been approved in the general body meeting. We are following heritage norms of the PMC heritage committee," she said.