Pune: The expert committee formed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to make amendments in the Cantonment laws held their first interaction with Pune, Khadki and Dehu Road cantonment boards from the rest 62 cantonments of India. The committee had a tour in Pune Cantonment areas on Tuesday and witnessed the conditions of dilapidated buildings and the other civic issues. The report from the committee is likely to come after four months.
The committee on Tuesday visited the Pune Cantonment areas including Ghorpadi, Wanwadi, Mahadji Shinde School, ITI College, Sholapur Bazar Road, MG Road, Cantonment Hospital, Working Women Hostel and Ravindranath Tagore School. During a meeting held by Priyanka Shrigiri, Vice President of the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) and elected members of the board, they said that the committee made a point that they will visit the areas of cantonment to witness the actual civic issues faced by the civilians of the cantonment jurisdiction.
The committee arrived on Wednesday in Pune and they had individual meetings with all stakeholders including Headquarters Southern Command, Principal Director Defence Estates Office, presidents of cantonment boards and elected representatives of Pune, Khadki and Dehu Road cantonment boards. “During our presentation, we had discussed prominent issues including mutation, GST, FSI and lease rent and renewal. The committee has just seen and discussed the problems, now the report is likely to come after four months,” said Shrigiri
According to the statistics, more than 100 structures in cantonments’ limits are in dilapidated condition and as cantonment does not have the power to repair the buildings or do anything with it they just give notice to occupants and wait for the Southern Command to give directions for it which is delayed every time.
Shrigiri said, “The main issue faced by civilians here is of lease/rent. From the last several years they have been paying nominal rent but then the government suddenly applied ‘Standards Table Rent’ for which they have to now pay Rs 43 lakh for one and a half year. We said that it should be increased but not to this limit, but 50 per cent at least. We also kept the proposal of GST share which we have not received yet. Also, FSI should be increased from one to two.”
“We also demanded that, since PCB does not have the power to take any decision, it should be given powers along with it VP should be given powers and funds to carry out essential meetings and activities in the jurisdiction of the cantonment. Also, the project sanctioning should be limited to Principal Director because it takes a lot of time for the project to approved and sanctioned from the General Officer Commanding (GOC). And implement the Central government schemes for the slum dwellers of the cantonments,” Shrigiri added.
