PMC hands out feedback forms for riverfront project to students, civic activists oppose

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has handed feedback forms for Pune riverfront project to students and have asked them to get it filled by their parents

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has handed feedback forms for Pune riverfront project to students and have asked them to get it filled by their parents.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has handed feedback forms for Pune riverfront project to students and have asked them to get it filled by their parents. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Civic activists have opposed this move and questioned as to why isn’t the civic body taking direct feedback from citizens and using students instead.

Civic activist Vivek Velenkar said, “PMC had handed over the feedback form for Mula-Mutha riverfront development project to students and asked them to fill up form from their parents. If the forms got distributed by students, it is natural that parents would give positive feedback. It is wrong to use school students for this work.”

An official from the school board, requesting anonymity said,“It is true that we have distributed the forms to the school students but we are not forcing them to fill up the information. It is the parents’ choice to fill what ever they want.”

A senior official from building permission department, requesting anonymity said, “I am unware of such development. It might be a public outreach programme. We had carried out a similar feedback during metro execution. We need to check what kind of feedback the PMC is taking. Though the forms have been distributed, it is the parents’ choice to fill whatever they want. Usually in mega projects, authorities carry public outreach programme.”