Residents from 23 villages demand water quota before merger

Villagers from the newly proposed 23 villages in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits demanded to provide basic infrastructure and a reserved drinking water quota before taking a final decision on the merger

Villagers from the newly proposed 23 villages in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits demanded to provide basic infrastructure and a reserved drinking water quota before taking a final decision on the merger.

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They also highlighted the lack of infrastructure in the 11 merged villages under the PMC limit.

As per the state government directives, Pune divisional officials conducted a hearing on the proposed 23 villages merger into the PMC limits on April 19 and 20.

Amidst the increasing Covid-19 cases in the city, Pune divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao had been instructed to conduct an online hearing of the proposed 23 villages’ merger into the PMC. Earlier, it was decided to conduct an in-person hearing on April 19th and 20th.

Of the 23 villages, only 11 villages filed suggestions and objections. The maximum number of 389 suggestions and objections were received from Pisoli villages.

Pune Zilla Parishad deputy chief executive officer Sandeep Kohinkar, additional Municipal commissioner of PMC Rubal Agrawal, joint commissioner of town planning department Jagdish Patil, deputy commissioner, municipal administration, Pune division Pradeep Thengal were present in the hearing.

Sanjivkumar Patil, chairman Wagholi Housing Societies Association (WHSA) said, “The hearing started almost one hour late at 12.30pm. We stated that Wagholi is one of the biggest and richest gram panchayats among the 23 villages that are proposed to be merged due to huge urbanisation. We paid taxes to the Pune Metropolitan Regional Authority (PMRDA). So, post-merger, the PMC should take a share of Wagholi village’s tax from PMRDA and utilise it to build infrastructure in Wagholi. We also demanded to give drinking water from Bhama-Askhed dam to Wagholi and hand over PMRDA water scheme to PMC.”

Pradeep Thengal, deputy commissioner, municipal administration, Pune division, said, “Most of the villagers demanded to provide basic infrastructure, and not put reservation on farmlands, provide drinking water and gradually increase property tax. No one took objection on the merger.”

“Pisoli villager’s number was 389 but, only 15 villagers attended the online hearing. All villagers demanded to not put reservations on the farmland since it is their bread and butter. It will directly affect their employment,” Thengal informed.

Pune divisional office had received a total of 491 suggestions and objections from the upcoming 23 areas that will be merged under the PMC limit.