CM agrees to hear views on 'illegal' Development Plan

Controversies don't seem to settle as far as the latest Development Plan (DP) of the city is concerned. Now, the members of Pune Bachaao Samiti (PBS) - who maintain that the draft of the DP of the city was passed by unlawful methods and that it should be cancelled - have been successful in getting permission for a hearing before the State Chief Secretary at Mantralaya regarding the process of making and passing the draft of the DP in the General Body Meeting (GBM) of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

Mulling over issues: Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan addressing the media with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar yesterday at Circuit House. Pic/Krunal Gosavi

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had yesterday agreed to listen to the point of view of the Samiti members and asked them to come to Mumbai for discussions in the next couple of days. The draft DP was passed in January this year where 79 corporators voted in favour and 59 corporators voted against the approval of the DP.

"The state government had asked the Municipal Commissioner of the PMC to submit the proposal of the DP plan before passing it in the GB meeting. However, instead of giving the proposal, the Municipal Secretary and Town Planning officials had submitted a feedback to the state government.

This is an illegal way of handling the most awaited plan of the city," said ex-corporator and the president of Pune Janahit Aghadi, Ujjwal Keskar, who also heads the Pune Bachaao Samiti.

Keskar said that it was necessary that Municipal Secretary and Town Planning officials should have been submitted their feedback to Municipal Commissioner and then it would be liable for the Municipal Commissioner to present the proposal to the state government.

He raised the question that when the entire process of making this DP is unlawful, then how did it come on the table of the house of GB before it was passed with majority.

"We wanted to keep this issue before the chief minister, who can give permission for hearing of the matter before the state principal secretary by using his veto power in this regard. Unless the principal secretary doesn't take a call on this issue, the existing DP would not be cancelled," said Keskar.

Special meet to discuss Naxal threat to city When the Chief Minister was asked about his opinion on the statement given by Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on May 30 regarding the Naxals' plan to target Pune, Chavan informed that there would be a special meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on June 5 with Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to discuss about the law and order situation in the country.

79 The number of corporators who voted in favour of the draft Development Plan that was was passed in January this year u00a0