PUNE, 4 NOV. The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar Faction) staged a protest on Monday against the tender process for the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) works approved by the Standing Committee of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The party alleged that this tender process is a scheme meticulously crafted only for "looting" and is being used to fill the pockets of BJP office bearers.
Last week, the Standing Committee approved the work for six projects related to sewage and wastewater purification. It is reported that the actual cost of these tenders is between approximately ₹1200 to ₹1320 crore, but due to the financial conditions and interest rates, the municipal corporation will have to bear a massive economic burden. It has come to light that the contract is intended to be awarded to a company belonging to a senior BJP office bearer. The party alleges that several conditions in the tender process were changed and new conditions were added specifically to award the contract to the same company.
Prashant Jagtap, the City President of the Nationalist Congress (Sharad Pawar Faction), stated that this illegal process will lead to a loot of approximately ₹500 crore from the taxes paid by ordinary Punekars. He alleged that the BJP is preparing to fill its own coffers with an eye on the upcoming municipal elections. "The Municipal Corporation administration is working at the behest of BJP leaders. This is an open loot of democracy and public trust," said Jagtap.
He further added that the Pune Municipal Corporation has the capacity to construct and operate these STP projects through its own funds, as well as grants from the state and central governments. Despite this, BJP leaders have taken control of the municipal administration and hatched a conspiracy to loot the hard-earned money of Punekars. Several office bearers, including MLA Bapusaheb Pathare, Nilesh Nikam, Nitin Kadam, Pappu Gogle, Kishor Kamble, Asha Sane, Asif Shaikh, Amogh Dhamale, Dilshad Attar, Ganesh Nalwade, Rohan Paigude, Rupali Shelar, Ajinkya Palkar, Mangesh More, and Shailendra Bhelekar, participated in the protest.
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