Zagade away on training programme, Standing Committee members say no decision taken in PMC for 15 days
Zagade away on training programme, Standing Committee members say no decision taken in PMC for 15 days
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| Punished for doing right? Municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade is known for his bold steps against errant builders. File pic |
With PMC commissioner Mahesh Zagade being sent on an eight-week 'exile' to Mussoorie -- the move was allegedly masterminded by a powerful politician who had problems with his aggressive drive against builders -- work has come to a standstill in the "headless" civic body for the past one month.
After Zagade was sent on an unusually-long mid-career training programme on April 20, Dilip Band, divisional commissioner of Pune, was given the additional charge of the office of the PMC commissioner.
But he too seems to be on his way out -- not because of his bold steps, but for his allegedly inability to handle the affairs of the civic body.
Yesterday, the Standing Committee meeting was adjourned inconclusively as the members demanded a "competent and full-time PMC commissioner who is able perform his duties properly". The panel also unanimously decided to send a letter to Chief Minister Pritviraj Chavan, requesting to appoint a full-time commissioner for the civic body.
They also objected to the mysterious way in which commissioner Zagade was asked to hand over the charge of the office to Band before he was sent to Mussoorie.
Not happy: The PMC, where the Standing Committee has objected
to the manner in which Mahesh Zagade was packed off to Mussoorie for
eight weeks of training. File pICSocial activist Sandeep Khardekar said Zagade was sent to the Mussoorie as his drive against illegal constructions and actions against high-profile developers, builders and architects was giving sleepless night to their patron politicians. "He had shown the courage to blacklist architect Jagdish Deshpande for his illegal deeds," he said.u00a0
Zagade also took action against PMC's city engineer Prashant Waghmare and another officer Rajendra Medankar for their alleged involvement in ULC land scam. And Khardekar is not the only person crying foul over the decision to send Zagade on a prolonged training. The general public is also joined the 'foul play' chorus.
According to Ganesh Bidkar, Standing Committee chairman, no decision has been taken in PMC for last 15 days. It seems a "headless" civic body hardly knows where it is headed for. In the absence of an "eligible boss", all development works -- ranging from road to water supply -- have come to an abrupt halt.
"We want a full-time commissioner as Pune requires a competent man who can handle the affairs of the civic body efficiently," he added. PMC commissioner is the authority who takes all the administrative decisions and enforces the Rs 3,500-crore budget.
And in his absence, the projects worth Rs 1,500 crore are handing in balance, he said. According to sources, with Dilip Band on his way out, Anand Limaye, an IAS officer, could be given the additional charges of the office of PMC commissioner.
