Indian Express 30.11.2010
PCMC wasted Rs 32 lakh housing brochures, shows RTI reply
MANOJ MORE Tags : corporation, PCMC wasted, housing Posted: Tue Nov 30 2010, 06:37 hrs
Pune: Even as the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has been facing criticism for almost doubling the cost of each flat under its Economically Weaker Section (EWS) project, it has come to light that Rs 32 lakh was wasted in printing the forms for the houses. Over 1.3 lakh forms were unsold.Shiv Sena corporator Seema Savle, who filed the RTI, has received a reply from the PCMC slum department that brochures and applications worth Rs 32 lakh were printed and most of them are gathering dust at the slum improvement and housing department.
Under the EWS housing plan, the PCMC had, over three years back, decided to construct 13,250 flats each worth Rs 1.5 lakh. For this, the PCMC had in 2008 printed 1.55 lakh brochures and applications. As many as 24,000 citizens bought the applications of whom 17,000 filled the forms and applied for the houses, RTI reply said. “The remaining brochures and applications remained with the PCMC,” said Savle.
The RTI reply says each set was sold for Rs 25.
“That means, 1.31 lakh brochures and applications were unsold. This is criminal waste of public money,” she said. Savle said this was gross injustice to the poor who were first promised a flat at Rs 1.5 lakh and then told to pay Rs 3.5 lakh. “Now we know where the funds have gone,” she said.
Municipal Commissioner Asheesh Sharma said the brochures and applications must have been printed in anticipation of the demand, as the cost of a flat was a mere Rs 1.5 lakh. Sharma added that the decision to print the forms was taken before he assumed charge.
Assistant municipal commissioner Aziz Karche, who heads the slum department, said he will study the matter as the print order was issued before he took charge. “The sets must have been printed as Pimpri-Chinchwad has a population of 15 lakh. Officials must have tried to ensure they don’t fall short of demand,” he said.
However, Savle alleged, “Rs 32 lakh is not a small amount. This reflects the way PCMC utilises public money.” Shiv Sena youth leader Sarang Kamthekar said they would soon file a police complaint against the PCMC officials who are responsible for this waste of money.
“Not only did they waste the money, but it has also come to light that the print order was given without issuing proper tenders,” he alleged. The civic chief said he would look into the allegations.
