Indian Express 15.12.2009
Jobs for land: PMC pacifies irate villagers
Sixty one people affected by Uruli-Devachi garbage disposal project to get jobs
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Standing Committee on Tuesday approved the civic administration proposal for giving jobs to 61 project-affected people of Uruli-Devachi and Phursungi villages.
The villagers on Monday had warned that they would not allow the dumping of garbage at the site if the civic body failed to give a written assurance regarding the fulfillment of their demands. The civic administration had sought extension of the deadline for fulfilling the demands till May after failing to find new locations for dumping of garbage.
The villagers had launched an agitation in May against the PMC’s decision to dump garbage at the landfill site. The district collector intervened and the agitation was withdrawn after the civic administration set a deadline of December 15 to fulfill the demands of villagers and shifting of the garbage dump to the new site.
The long pending demand of appointing 61 project-affected people for civic work was approved and has come as a big relief to villagers,” said standing committee chairman Nilesh Nikam. However, it was decided that the appointment would be done only after verifying the identity of project-affected people of Uruli-Devachi. They will be appointed initially for 10 months and later on absorbed in regular service.
NCP leader Anil Bhosale said that the move would come as a reprieve for villagers who have given their land for the landfill site and would help them to consider extension of the deadline sought by the civic administration.
Congress leader Ulhas Bagul said that the civic administration was unanimous in the approval of the job proposal, but the approval of the state government was mandatory as it would be a policy decision.
“The decision of giving jobs to the project affected people of Uruli-Devachi village might add to the civic woes if other project affected people approach us with similar demands. Also, those losing their land for the new garbage dumping site could come up with such conditions too,” he added.
Member of standing committee Ujjwal Keskar said that there is no solution in sight as of now to resolve the garbage dumping issue. A few citizens within the jurisdiction of the PMC have offered their land to start the garbage-processing unit, he said adding, “It was proposed to allow the citizens to start small procession plants across the city to reduce load on the civic administration. The proposal was rejected, but would have to be considered later on.”
The civic standing committee also approved Rs 22 crore for development work of Uruli-Devachi and Phursungi village as committed to the villagers.
The agitation that blocked the garbage dumping vehicles had left the civic administration helpless. With no alternative provision for dumping, the garbage bins went overflowing, raising a huge stink in the city.
