NGOs move HC against PMC’s decision to lease out amenity spaces in Pune city

Pune District Co-operative Housing Societies Federation, Kharadi Residents Association, Baner Pashan Link Road Welfare Trust, National Society for Clean Cities, Pashan Area Sabha, Bavdhan Citizens forum, Aundh Vikas Mandal and Association of Ahmednagar Road Citizens Forum have challenged PMC’s decision

Eight prominent non-government organisations (NGOs) have approached the Bombay High Court (HC) and challenged the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC’s) decision to lease out the amenity spaces on a long lease.

A boy waits for his turn to bat as others play cricket on Jeet ground in Pune. (Sanket Wankhade/HT PHOTO)

PMC standing committee has given nod for the proposal and claimed that it would help increase PMC’s revenue.

Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had suggested the proposal and Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which include Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Congress and Shiv Sena opposed it and voted against the proposal.

Pune District Co-operative Housing Societies Federation, Kharadi Residents Association, Baner Pashan Link Road Welfare Trust, National Society for Clean Cities, Pashan Area Sabha, Bavdhan Citizens forum, Aundh Vikas Mandal and Association of Ahmednagar Road Citizens Forum have challenged PMC’s decision.

Advocate Satya Muley said, “We oppose any proposal of transfer of amenity space reservation land by means of lease or sale to any party and demanded to scrap it. These lands are acquired from private owners for the purpose of public amenities such as open spaces, parks, grounds, sports complexes, gardens, markets, schools and hospitals. If PMC is handing over it on commercial rates how citizens can expect to get amenities at affordable prices.”

“The PMC cannot turn away from its responsibility to develop the amenity spaces meant for maintaining and improving quality of life in the city,” he said.

The forums that challenged the PMC decision said, “Amenity spaces are the last remaining public spaces in the city. PMC had given the reason of Covid pandemic, encroachments, lack of funds for the decision, these are false reasons as the proposal was introduced before the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The citizen’s forum blamed that the city is facing various civic problems. Instead of addressing them and creating facilities on amenity spaces, PMC is handing over them to private parties.

Earlier, Congress also warned to move the court and challenged BJP’s decision to lease amenity spaces.