The land records department will buy a life insurance policy from the government-owned New India Assurance Company to cover 163 employees at an annual premium of Rs 1.61 lakh for an amount ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh depending on the employee's class which will benefit the kin.

Speaking to TOI, Subhash Machare, chief of social welfare department, PCMC said, "The civic body has taken the insurance policy for the employees of the Bahinabai Chaudhary zoo and the fire brigade. The civic body now will provide insurance cover to the 163 employees who will participate in its anti-encroachment drives. These include 25 officers belonging to Class I and II, 93 employees belonging to Class III and 14 belonging to Class IV. The medical bills of the injured employees will also be paid through the insurance policy."

Political parties in Pimpri Chinchwad, including the ruling NCP, are opposed to the anti-encroachment drive against unauthorised constructions and want them regularized. Demolition drives have been marred by stones being pelted at the civic staff and policemen.

The civic administration has drawn up a proposal which will come up for approval at the standing committee meeting on Tuesday. The proposal states that the civic body has given the responsibility of demolishing the unauthorized constructions in the city to the zonal officers, executive engineers and employees of the four zonal offices.

There is resentment among the citizens about the drive due to which it is likely to face stiff opposition and the possibility of the staff participating in the drive getting injured cannot be ruled out, it added.