E-Paper
PMC conducts anti-encroachment drive at Gangadham Chowk
PMC on Tuesday removed 17 shanties in front of commercial complex as part of anti-encroachment drive at Gangadham Chowk
PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday carried out an anti-encroachment drive at Gangadham Chowk, removing 17 shanties that had come up in front of a huge commercial complex. The PMC conducted the drive amidst heavy police bandobast. While the PMC officials claimed that notices had been served to the hut owners asking them to raze the structures on their own, the PMC was forced to remove the shanties as the slumdwellers did not comply with the directions.
Mama Khandagale, a slumdweller, said, “I opposed the drive. The PMC officials claimed that the action was taken for the purpose of road widening. But it is clear that it was taken for the builder. Our demand is only compensation or rehabilitation.”
Rohit Waghmare, who was present at the site, said, “It is clear that the PMC and police carried out the drive for the builder. At other places, despite complaints, the PMC has not taken any action but here, it deputed a huge force…”
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and urban cell head Nitin Kadam said, “The PMC conducted the drive without carrying out proper rehabilitation. All the corporators and MLAs are from the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) in this area.”
Earlier, there were allegations that the BJP leaders are supporting the anti-encroachment drive and asking the administration to carry out the drive. The PMC and police deployed an additional force to carry out the drive since early morning Tuesday. A big commercial project is nearing completion at Gangadham Chowk, and the slums had come up right in front of this project.
