PUNE, 3 NOV. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) of corruption amounting to crores of rupees in the drainage line project for 11 villages, including Dhairi, Narhe, and Shivane, which were merged into the PMC in 2017. In this regard, the party's city president, Dhananjay Benkar, submitted a memorandum to the PMC Commissioner demanding an immediate investigation. The AAP has also warned of a severe public agitation if the administration fails to take prompt action on this serious matter.
The administration had sanctioned a tender worth 392 crore rupees for this project, and the work was started about five years ago. However, despite extensions to the deadline, the work remains incomplete in many places, even though crores of rupees have already been spent.
Dhananjay Benkar stated that the issue of irregularities in this project was raised in the State Assembly two years ago. At that time, the government had ordered an investigation and a report through the College of Engineering, Pune, but that report has not been submitted yet. In villages like Shivane, Dhairi, and Narhe, drainage lines have been laid along the nullahs (drains) but have not been connected to the local settlements or societies. Approximately five thousand citizens in the Ambaidara Dhangar settlement area of Dhairi are suffering from stench and infectious diseases. The situation is similar near the nullahs in Narhe and Shivane.
Benkar further pointed out that in many places where drainage lines were excavated, the roads were re-built at the cost of lakhs of rupees of government funds, leading to a huge waste of public money. Benkar alleged that contractors and officials colluded to embezzle nearly 392 crore rupees in this project. He also mentioned that AAP workers and he himself are receiving phone threats for raising their voices against this corruption. AAP city spokesperson Kiran Kadre, media convener Niranjan Adagale, secretary Subhash Karande, and Sunil Sawadi were present on the occasion.
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