Civic activists to file PIL to challenge Zagade's transfer

Civic activists of an NGO in the city would file a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay high court (HC) within a week, challenging the transfer of former municipal commissioner, Mahesh Zagade.

Members of Apala Parisar, Sudhir Gawali, Girish Khatri, Vaishali Ghanekar, Subhash Khadilkar and Vidyesh Ramdasi would file the PIL, according to a member of the organisation. The activists took the decision after city president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Vandana Chavan, on Saturday claimed that the party ensured the transfer of Zagade as he did not serve the city well, as per the party agenda.

Chavan's comments have evoked strong response from political parties and civic activists. Zagade was sent for training to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, on April 17 for training.While Zagade was undergoing training, the state government appointed senior bureaucrat Mahesh Pathak in Zagade's place on May 9.

In 1999, when the then municipal commissioner, Arun Bhatia, was transferred by the state government following his fearless crusade against the wrongdoings in the civic body, citizens had filed a PIL challenging his transfer.

Asked about the NCP's political interference in former PMC commissioner Mahesh Zagade's transfer, the party MP from Pune, Supriya Sule, on Monday said she did not know the details of the issue, but added that if the transfer was done it must be due to a valid reason.