Last year, 23 villages in PMC limits were merged on state government directives. It was noticed that these villages were witnessing rapid urbanisation and unplanned development. Shivtare, a staunch supporter of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, said the two villages don’t wish to be part of PMC citing increase in property tax and other issues. After facing dissent from a senior party leader on the implementation of the Balbharati-Paud road link, the BJP is facing fresh dissent as another party leader under the banner of ‘Aple Pune’ has raised objections to the state government’s decision to exclude Uruli Devachi and Phursungi villages from the jurisdiction of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
This is the second time in two weeks that BJP’s Pune unit is facing discord within. Last week, former BJP legislator Medha Kulkarni took a position different from her party on the Vetal Tekdi project, by extending her support to those protesting against the link road that will pass through the hill.
In the case of the two villages, the government had recently issued a notification declaring its intention to exclude them from PMC limits, and constitute a separate municipal council for the area. This was done upon the demand of former Sena legislator Vijay Shivtare. However, PMC administration has expressed its reservation on this exclusion.
Last year, 23 villages in PMC limits were merged on state government directives. It was noticed that these villages were witnessing rapid urbanisation and unplanned development. Shivtare, a staunch supporter of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, said the two villages don’t wish to be part of PMC citing increase in property tax and other issues.
“The two villages have suffered a lot as city waste was dumped in the open in their jurisdiction for seven decades. Residents of these villages feel that development work will halt or slow down in their area if they remain one of the many villages to become part of Pune city,” he said.
The BJP has so far avoided commenting on the issue as the decision was taken on the insistence of Shivtare who is close to the CM. However, the NGO Aple Pune, and group of former corporators including BJP leader Ujjwal Keskar, Suhas Kulkarni and Prashant Badhe of Shiv Sena (UBT) have opposed the exclusion. “Excluding the two villages from PMC is a political decision. The government can instead constitute a separate municipal corporation,” said Keskar, adding that the decision was taken only on the insistence of the former legislator. The town planning scheme for the area will have to be cancelled now, he said.
The state government was suppose to declare the revenue source of the two villages but it has not been done as of now, said Keskar. “We will raise objections and if the state government is unable to cancel the decision, then they will approach the court, as the decision will have a long lasting impact in villages. We will recommend that a new municipal corporation be constituted,” he said.
Guardian minister Chandrakant Patil, too, had expressed his reservation on the decision saying he is part of government and won’t comment on it, but adding he favoured forming separate civic bodies to bring efficiently in delivery of civic services.