PMC clears 30 illegal hoarding in three days, opposition alleges selective action

The opposition leaders along with traders from the city have alleged that action is being taken selectively, with PMC not extending it to hoardings attached with certain politicians.

Even as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has restricted its actions against illegal structures on DP road near Mhatre bridge, the civic body has continued with the drive against illegal hoardings on riverbeds. The civic body since the last three days has removed around 30 hoardings from different stretches of riverbed.

Knocked down hoarding by PMC at riverbed in Pune, India, on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 (HT PHOTO)

The opposition leaders along with traders from the city have alleged that action is being taken selectively, with PMC not extending it to hoardings attached with certain politicians. According to Congress leader in PMC Arvind Shinde, the hoardings linked to rural development minister Pankaja Munde were not touched.

The action was taken after a BJP corporator demanded that all illegal hoardings be removed from the riverbed.

NCP leader Chetan Tupe also blamed the administration for taking selective action.

Minister for water resources Girish Mahajan then wrote to civic body seeking action against 23 hoardings .

The civic body’s anti-encroachment cell removed 13 hoardings from Rajaram bridge to Kharadi. According to sources, the drive was abruptly stopped at Bund Garden.