Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation revised development plan: No quota for toilets for women, disabled in draft plan, says former standing panel chief
In her objections sent to PCMC, Sawale emphasised that this 'critical blunder' profoundly undermines public health, gender equity as well as the dignity and accessibility needs of women, persons with disabilities and senior citizens. The draft DP has also failed to comply with crucial national and global sanitation mandates.
As per the draft development plan, PCMC's population is projected to soar from an estimated 27 lakh in 2021 to 42.45 lakh by 2031 and a staggering 61 lakh by 2041. The absence of any dedicated plot for public sanitation in the Revised Draft Development Plan is a critical oversight. Despite extensive reservations for amenities like schools and parks across 173.12 sq.km, this essential public health infrastructure has been conspicuously ignored, Sawale said.
'The absence of public toilets encourages open urination and defecation, contributing to the spread of diseases like cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, and typhoid. The proximity of PCMC to rivers such as Pavana, Indrayani, and Mula too heightens the risk of water contamination from unmanaged human waste. This pollution affects drains and public spaces, undermining urban hygiene and conflicting with PCMC's sustainable development objectives,' Sawale said.
Sawale said the absence of accessible and appropriate sanitation facilities disproportionately affects women, adolescent girls, persons with disabilities, and the elderly.
Sawale said that pregnant as well as women undergoing menstruation face severe hygiene challenges and increased health risks such as urinary tract infections due to the lack of safe and adequate toilets. 'For persons with disabilities and senior citizens, the complete absence of accessible toilets severely restricts their participation in public life,' she said.
The draft DP directly disregards the Swachh Bharat Mission's (SBM) mandate for universal public sanitation, which recommends one public toilet seat per 200-250 users. It also ignores the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) guidelines recommending public toilets every 500–1,000 metres along arterial roads. Furthermore, the DP fails to align with the National Urban Sanitation Policy and Sustainable Development Goals for Clean Water and Sanitation, which targets adequate sanitation by 2030, Sawale alleged.
Sawale has urged the PCMC to reserve land for public toilets and urinals at regular intervals along arterial and sub-arterial roads, bus stands, metro stations, and marketplaces, ensuring these facilities are gender-segregated, accessible for persons with disabilities, and suitable for the elderly.
Additionally, she calls for a citywide toilet masterplan to ensure sustainable sanitation infrastructure. PCMC has called for suggestions and objections from the public for the draft of the revised development plan. Sawale has urged citizens to file their suggestions/objections and raise the issue of reserving space for public toilets and urinals.
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Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
PCMC to post draft DP in Marathi for wider reach deadline to send views long over
Pune: The state govt has told Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to translate its draft Development Plan (DP) into Marathi and republish it online for better public understanding. The original draft, published in English this May, was open for public suggestions and objections until July 14. The demand for a Marathi version came from Maval's Shiv Sena MP Shrirang Barne who wrote to the state govt last month stating that many residents were unable to submit their objections to the proposed reservations mentioned in the draft due to lack of understanding of English. In response to his letter on July 6, the state govt, on July 30, instructed PCMC to act on the request, citing instructions from the office of deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune PCMC's commissioner Shekhar Singh told TOI, "As soon as the demand was brought to our notice last month, we reached out to the Directorate of Marathi Language to initiate the translation of the draft Development Plan." He clarified that the statutory timeline will remain unaffected and the draft will not be reopened for additional suggestions or objections. Barne, in his letter to Shinde, said, "As per section 4(2) of Maharashtra Official Languages Act 2021, all municipal corporations and councils in the state should do their administrative works in Marathi. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buying a Luxury Villa in Dubai: Step-by-Step Guide Villa for sale in Dubai | Search Ads Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola Similarly, as per section 3(1) of the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act 2022, it is mandatory for local bodies to use Marathi for all administrative purposes." The Shiv Sena MP added that govt should intervene to publish the draft in Marathi. The municipal corporation received over 49,500 suggestions and objections from citizens. The civic body has already initiated the process of segregating them to prepare for final hearings which will be conducted by the state govt-appointed committee. As per the standard procedure, the committee will prepare a final version of the draft after hearings, which will be sent to the state govt for final approval. Dhanaji Yelkar, convenor of Swabhimani Ghar Bachao Movement, formed to oppose the proposed HCMTR project in the draft, said there is no point in translating the draft when people cannot object to it. Sanjeevan Sangle, chairman of Chikhali Moshi Pimpri Chinchwad Cooperative Housing Society Federation, said the municipal corporation should allow citizens to file their objections after the translated draft is published. A senior civic official said that DP drafts are prepared in English due to the content's technical nature, and no previous attempts were made to publish them in Marathi. Several municipal corporations in the state recently published their drafts, and all of them were in English, he said. The officer further clarified that there are no legal mandates to prepare these drafts in Marathi. MLAs and MLCs from Pimpri Chinchwad voiced strong objections to the reservations listed in the draft Development Plan (DP), demanding its cancellation. They also raised the issue during the recently concluded assembly session, alleging that the committee responsible for drafting the plan imposed reservations on many residential structures. BJP MLA from Chinchwad Shankar Jagtap said, "The whole draft was prepared using wrong methods as reservations were also proposed on properties where building permissions were granted by the municipal corporation." Another BJP MLA Mahesh Landge said at least 850 reservations from the old DP were again mentioned in the draft. "The civic body has put reservations on many religious temples, which must be cancelled, and the hearings of all the objections must happen in an unbiased manner," he said. Several religious groups also expressed concerns over the proposed reservation for a slaughterhouse in Moshi, located about 4 km from Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj temple in Alandi. In response to the public outcry, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, during a public event last month, announced that this reservation would be withdrawn. Minister of state for urban development, Madhuri Misal assured the legislators that the draft could be cancelled by the CM if it was found beyond rectification. However, she said that it would be wrong to cancel it before conducting hearings on the objections. "Govt will ensure that there is no injustice to anyone when the final draft is approved," she added. Head: Area covers 173.24 sqkm Draft DP for PCMC was published online for citizens on May 16 Citizens had time until July 14 to file their suggestions and objections Over 49,500 suggestions and objections were received from citizens on the draft The draft DP covers a 173.24 sqkm area and was prepared keeping in mind the projected population (Pimpri Chinchwad) of 42 lakh in 2031 and 61 lakh by 2041 What Next? PCMC will segregate the suggestions and objections to avoid duplication Similar demands will be clubbed, and the final list will be kept for hearings A state govt-appointed committee will conduct public hearings on these matters The final draft will be sent to the chief minister for approval Instead of raising the language issue, the MP should have demanded cancellation of the draft. He realised it very late, and it is just an attempt to show that he is doing something for people. If he wanted to, he would have approached his party chief Eknath Shinde, who leads the urban development ministry, and got the draft cancelled Dhanaji Yelkar I Convenor, Swabhimani Ghar Bachao Movement Many people who were unable to understand Marathi failed to file their objections, and they should be given the opportunity as civic bodies are run for them. Abrupt decisions are taken by civic administration in the absence of an elected govt Sanjeevan Sangle I Chairman of Chikhali, Moshi, Pimpri Chinchwad Cooperative Housing Society Federation Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Indian Express
Foundational learning has improved by over 20% in ‘balwadis' through ECCE strategy, claims PCMC
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) initiative to transform all 211 of its Balwadis (pre- primary schools) has led to more than 6,000 young children receiving stronger, safer, and much more engaging early education. In just three years, the initiative, driven by a focused Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) strategy, has delivered measurable improvements in foundational learning, with assessments showing a 20–24% jump in skills. 'Early childhood is the most critical stage of development, and our goal has been to give every child a strong and joyful start,' said PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh. 'By investing in our Balwadis, training our teachers, involving parents, and adopting play-based learning, we are laying the foundation for a more inclusive and better-educated Pimpri Chinchwad.' The programme began with a small working group of teachers, supervisors, and education professionals who redesigned the curriculum into activity-based modules. With regular monthly trainings, curated teaching materials, and strengthened teacher-student-parent relationships, the initiative scaled up rapidly. A cluster-based model with 16 master trainers and 9 supervisors now supports implementation across all Balwadis. 'With every cluster session, we're seeing greater alignment in curriculum delivery and pedagogy,' added Yamuna Khandagale, Assistant Coordinator, Pre-Primary Department. 'Teachers now plan their daily classes around each month's theme and ensure quality education reaches every child.'
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
State Government approves BSc Nursing College at YCM Hospital with 60 seats
In a boost to medical education and public healthcare in Pimpri-Chinchwad, the State government has granted final approval to establish a BSc Nursing College at the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital, run by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). The new college, named the 'Institute of Nursing Sciences', will commence its operations with an intake of 60 students from the academic year 2025–26, officials announced on Saturday. (HT) According to officials, the nursing college will be housed in the newly constructed 11-storey building on the YCM Hospital campus. Additionally, the classes and training sessions will be conducted on the third, fourth, and sixth floors of the said building. According to officials, the idea to establish a nursing college was first proposed in January 2022. Administrative and elected body approvals were granted through the Standing Committee on March 10, 2022, and the General Body on April 6, 2022. This Nursing college marks a significant addition to PCMC's medical education infrastructure. Since the inception of the Postgraduate Institute at YCM Hospital in 2018, over 240 postgraduate students have supported the hospital's critical operations — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the launch of the nursing college, a new generation of trained nursing professionals will emerge to strengthen the city's public healthcare system, said the YCM Hospital officials. This initiative is a strategic investment in both public health and women's empowerment. The Institute of Nursing Sciences will further enhance Pimpri Chinchwad's growing stature as a hub for quality medical education and services, the officials said. Dr Rajendra Wabale, dean, postgraduate institute, YCM Hospital, said, 'The admissions for the BSc Nursing course will be carried out by the Maharashtra State CET cell and Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Mumbai. The move not only addresses the rising demand for qualified nursing professionals but also ensures affordable and accessible nursing education for eligible candidates from the PCMC region.'
