Your Space: Provide sustainable development solutions
Public representatives seek bifurcation of PMC citing rising population and vast area. Readers suggest managing existing resources properly and providing good basic civic amenities. Conservation of natural resources should be a priority.
While on the one hand surrounding villages are merged with Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), on the other hand, public representatives are seeking bifurcation of civic body citing rising population, vast area and overload of responsibilities on municipal staff. Readers suggest steps to effectively run a civic body.
Conservation of natural resources should be priority
Decentralisation of PMC can be a good decision for administrative purposes, but it cannot be a good decision when it comes to natural resource management. This decision is bypassing the actual problem. Today the city has already exceeded its carrying capacity, yet a lot of people are migrating here. To accommodate those who are coming here, we have already expanded up to Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) limits. But the natural resources are not increasing with the speed at which we expand our geographical area. As a result, this ‘development’ has already created a huge burden on natural resources. The groundwater level is affected. Encroachment of water and forest resources has already become a major problem. The biodiversity of the city is also adversely affected. All this happens due to the unplanned and unrestricted expansion of the city. And it’s still going on. We need to address these fundamental problems first. The creation of another local body will not be a constructive solution for this.
Sachin Punekar
Provide good basic civic amenities
As the city is expanding, there is a need for the decentralisation of municipal corporations. But while dividing the existing municipal corporation, the authorities must think about whether they can provide the basic facilities to the residents of the concerned area. I feel that the existing corporation has failed to provide fundamental facilities like water and good transport. Despite their promise for the last 40 years to provide good transport and 24 by 7 water supply for the entire city, the political leaders and the administration failed to fulfil their promise. Today, we all are experiencing serious traffic issues, and not all the areas of the city have 24X7 water supply. So before spending huge expenditures on creating another municipal corporation, the administration must think about these issues.
Sunil Mahajan
Sustainable solutions can help in good governance
If we manage our existing resources properly, the vast area under PMC’s jurisdiction can be managed. With the existing ward structure, there are enough representatives in municipal corporations, who can voice the need for that area. If we divide the current local body and create another one, it will require a huge infrastructure which will burden our economy. Instead, we can manage the governance with existing resources. All we need to do is avoid repetitive expenses and manage our funds properly. This will help the civic body in good governance.
Harshwardhan Bhusari
Admin is capable of managing vast area
The existing corporation limit already covers the area, which is supposed to be declared as a separate municipal corporation and PMC is providing civic amenities to them. The people have voting rights, and I believe there will be enough representation after the upcoming municipal elections. So, I don’t think it’s necessary to divide the current administrative system. Because if we create another municipal corporation, we also need to create separate systems to provide fundamental facilities in related areas, this will cost a huge amount and time. Instead, the municipal corporation should merge the remaining villages also and focus on providing facilities through the urban development committee. It also helps in managing natural resources as well as the reservation of various categories.
Sanjay Kawade
