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Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
If unsalvageable, PCMC draft DP could be cancelled, Madhuri Misal tells MLCs
1 2 3 Pune: Urban development minister of state Madhuri Misal on Wednesday said state govt could cancel the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)'s draft development plan (DP) if it's deemed beyond rectification. She was responding to concerns raised by MLCs from both the ruling alliance and opposition during the assembly session, who demanded the draft's scrapping. The MLCs criticised the planning committee for incorrectly marking reservations in the draft DP, potentially affecting many residents. BJP's Amit Gorkhe highlighted issues like reservations for public amenities being placed over existing residential buildings, roads being planned through densely populated areas and the draft's failure to consider flood lines and restricted zones. "Over 30,000 people have already filed their objections against the draft DP and many have also organised protests against it. Hence, it must be scrapped," Gorkhe said. BJP MLC Shrikant Bharaitya said CM Devendra Fadnavis had to personally intervene and cancel the reservation for a proposed slaughterhouse near the Alandi temple, which indicated that the entire draft DP was flawed and should be scrapped. Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sachin Ahir and BJP's Uma Khapre also called on state govt to cancel the draft. Ahir said the scientific methods used in preparing the draft appeared to be faulty, resulting in numerous incorrect reservations. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Congress MLC Satej Patil, however, argued that govt should focus on making the necessary corrections to the current draft, as preparing a new DP would delay development work in the area further. Responding to the concerns raised by the MLCs, Misal clarified that the draft DP was still in the objection and suggestion stage. She said the planning committee would hold hearings before sending it for final approval. She emphasised that both the CM and state govt have the authority to make necessary changes before the draft's final approval. "We will ensure that no injustice is done to any citizen while finalising the draft. If significant errors are found, such as those originating from the initial survey, the CM has the power to cancel the draft," she said. "If we are unable to correct it despite making necessary changes, the draft can be scrapped, just as the PMRDA draft DP was cancelled earlier. It would not be appropriate to cancel it before the hearing process is over," she added. PCMC published the draft in May, allowing citizens to file their objections till July 14.
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Against interest of citizens': BJP MLCs find faults in PCMC's draft DP, demand its scrapping
AFTER Shiv Sena MP Shrirang Barne, BJP MLCs Amit Gorkhe and Uma Khapre on Wednesday demanded scrapping of the draft Development Plan (DP) of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. Both the MLCs, who hail from Pimpri-Chinchwad, alleged that the draft DP was against the interest of the citizens and was heavily in favour of builders. In response, the state government said it will ensure that no injustice is done to any citizen while approving the DP. The demand came during the Attention Motion moved by Gorkhe in the State Legislative Council on Wednesday. 'The draft Development Plan of the PCMC is a well-planned conspiracy against the people of Pimpri-Chinchwad. It seems like the DP has been prepared to favour of the builders' lobby,' said Gorkhe who demanded a probe against the officials and consultants who prepared the draft DP. Gorkhe said the DP should not have been prepared when an elected body is present and there is scope for discussions. 'There are several deficiencies in the preparation of the draft DP. For instance, there is a vast difference between the floodline marked in the DP and the floodline marked by the irrigation department vis-a-vis marking of reservation. It is shocking that a slaughterhouse has been marked near the temple town of Alandi. In buildings which have been permitted by PCMC, parking reservation has been made…In one km area, four police stations have been reserved. Near Dr Ambedkar statue in Pimpri, the land has been reserved for Ramabai Ambedkar but reservation has been made for police station. Green hills have been reserved for construction purpose,' he said. Gorkhe said the DP, which was prepared in 1997, has not been fully implemented yet. 'Only 50 per cent of the DP has been implemented. Yet a new DP was prepared,' he said, adding that the DP was in English, which the common man can't understand. The BJP MLC added that the draft DP has been prepared without taking the former mayors and former corporators or other people's representatives into confidence. 'What is shocking is that the green zone reservations have been converted into residential zones. This is detrimental from the environment point of view,' he said. Gorkhe also alleged that plots owned by builders have been kept out of the purview of reservations. 'The land and homes belonging to the poor and middle-class have been earmarked for reservation,' he said demanding the state government to immediately scrap the draft DP. Uma Khapre alleged that it seems the draft DP has been prepared without application of any mind. 'Over 5,000 citizens in Thergaon last week held a protest as the ring road is passing through their residential area,' she said. Khapre said in Pimpri assembly segment, reservation has been made for a burial ground near a school and residential societies. 'The PCMC has received over 30,000 objections to the draft DP, indicating that citizens are not happy with what has been prepared,' she said. Congress MLC Satej Patil however said the draft DP should not be scrapped. 'Instead, all the objections raised in the DP should be addressed and then it should be approved by the government,' he said. 'Pimpri-Chinchwad has lot of floating population. At least 20 lakh people come here for the purpose of employment. Pimpri-Chinchwad has been a well-planned city, therefore we should not scrap the draft city, keeping the floating population in mind.' Patil said provisions should also be made for power sub-stations, EV charging stations and petrol pumps in the draft DP. 'We witness huge lines at petrol pumps which spill onto the roads…We should make proper reservation for petrol pumps and CNG EV charging stations have become compulsory in civic DPs,' he said. Patil said the number of gig workers was also increasing. 'The draft DP should also allocate space for sheds and reserve parking space for gig workers,' he said. Responding to the demand from the MLCs, Minister of State Madhuri Misal said, 'It is the responsibility of the government to approve a DP. I assure the House no injustice will be done to any citizen…If required, the Chief Minister will cancel the DP.'
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
HC gives 4 months to state to finalise Pune floodline
The Bombay high court has directed the state government and an expert committee to finalise decisions regarding Pune's floodline within four months. The court made it clear that the expert committee must submit its report within two months, following which the state government must act on the recommendations therein within the next two months. The PIL requested that no permission should be granted for DPs on land within 100 metre of the demarcated floodlines. (HT) The directive came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in 2021 by Pune-based civic activists Sarang Yadwadkar, Vivek Velankar and Vijay Kumbhar, raising concerns over the flawed floodline demarcations in the 2017 Development Plan (DP) of Pune city. The court had earlier instructed the state to form an expert committee chaired by the additional chief secretary of the Water Resources department, but the committee had neither convened nor submitted its report, prompting the petitioners to file an interim application. In the latest order passed on June 30, a division bench of justices Alok Aadhav and Sandeep Marne stated: 'The expert committee shall positively submit a report to the state government within a period of two months from June 30. The state government, on receipt of the report, shall take appropriate action on the recommendations of the expert committee within a further period of two months.' The bench also stated that once the expert committee submits its report, it will be open to the petitioners to make additional suggestions to the state government. Petitioners Yadwadkar and Kumbhar said the PIL sought replacement of the existing flood lines shown in the DP with more accurate ones based on scientific mapping. 'We have objected to the current floodlines and have demanded that no new construction permissions be granted within 100 metres of the existing floodline,' they said. The PIL requested that no permission should be granted for DPs on land within 100 metre of the demarcated floodlines, citing the risk of flooding due to poor planning and outdated hydrological assessments. The petitioners also alleged that despite an earlier court order, the expert committee did not make any effort to come up with a plan. Yadwadkar, who has been raising the issue for several years now, warned that the city faces serious risks of floods if the flood line demarcations are not corrected and enforced.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bombay high court refuses to interfere with govt decision on site for Balasaheb Thackeray memorial
Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Tuesday refused to interfere with the state govt's decision to set up a memorial for late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray at the mayor's bungalow in Shivaji Park. "We do not find that any valid ground of challenge is made out…'' said Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne, dismissing four PILs. Senior advocate Sunip Sen and Uday Warunjikar, for two petitioners, said their clients are not against the memorial to commemorate Thackeray. However, they challenged the site, shifting of reservation, composition of the trust, and charge of nominal annual rent of Re 1 for land valued at hundreds of crores. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai The judges said the choice of site made by the state govt, with approval of landowner BMC, would "undoubtedly fall in the realm of policy" and "outside scope of judicial review". A high-powered committee's recommendations were deliberated upon by the govt and after more than a year, it approved the memorial at the mayor's bungalow. They said it was a "well-considered decision". They said the only change in the DP is change of label of 'mayor's bungalow' into 'Balasaheb Thackeray Rashtriya Smarak' and deletion of green zone and substitution by residential zone. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it better to shower in the morning or at night? Here's what a microbiologist says CNA Read More Undo The changes are effected after following due procedure under Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act and "we are unable to trace any procedural impropriety...". Since the memorial is to honour Thackeray, the judges did not find "any arbitrariness" in the govt's decision to choose three members of the political party and two of Thackeray's family to be part of the board of trustees. The contention about a valuable piece of land being offered to the trust virtually free of cost "does not appeal". "Any piece of land in the city of Mumbai is bound to be valuable and therefore it is not for this court to decide which land needs to be chosen for setting up the memorial...," the court said, adding that BMC would continue to own the land leased to the trust for 30 years. The judges noted that work on the memorial is "virtually complete by now". From pictures submitted by senior advocate Darius Khambata and advocate Joel Carlos, for Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial Public Trust, the judges said it "shows that the grandiose structure of mayor's bungalow has not only been kept intact, but has been restored". "Its heritage significance is not disturbed," the court said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Turkish police detain cartoonist over Prophet Muhammad caricature, sparking protests
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish police on Monday detained a cartoonist over a caricature depicting the Prophet Muhammad , an act that also sparked an angry protest outside the Istanbul office of his satirical magazine, officials and reports said. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on X that Leman magazine's cartoonist was taken under custody for questioning. The minister also shared a video of the cartoonist — identified only by his initials DP — being taken into custody on a stairwell, with hands cuffed behind the back.
