PUNE: This could be a classic example of what ails the city. After recent flooding, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) blamed encroachments and illegal constructions in water bodies, but people in Janwadi are suffering because of the PMC's illegal construction of a two storey washroom in a nullah.

Despite municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade's orders to demolish the construction, the local ward officer still awaits official order' of demolition.

"In 2000 the civic body constructed a two storey washroom in a nullah. Two nullahs in the locality join at Janwadi, and exactly at this spot the washroom was constructed. It started blocking the flow of water and the September 30 rains heavily flooded about 150 tenements in locality. The municipal commissioner visited the spot on the same night and ordered immediate demolition. However, the ward officer is waiting for official order for demolition and resolution of the women and child welfare committee resolution for the same," said Yusuf Pathan, a local activist in Janwadi.

Municipal officials admitted that the civic funds were used for the construction on the behest of the local corporator. "As per the official procedure, we will need women and child welfare committee's resolution for demolishing," said one of the civic officials.

Last week, Zagade had admitted that serious corrective measures need to be taken in order to revive the natural flow of the nullahs to the river, most of which has either obstructed, or constructed in a very haphazard manner.

Zagade said that since the PMC has not properly laid pipelines, and manhole chambers were constructed haphazardly, the carrying capacity of nullahs has been reduced.

He admitted that there are roads constructed by burying nullahs and chambers in nullahs. "First the PMC has to repair the mistakes it has made and then turn to encroachments," Zagade had told his officers.