Illegal change in land zoning, alleges Pune corporator Ujwal Keskar

Independent Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) corporator, Ujwal Keskar, has alleged that the former chief minister, Ashok Chavan, permitted a change in the reservation of a plot of land near Uruli Kanchan garbage depot, from agriculture and no-development zone to residential, before he resigned from his post. 

“How can reservation of the the plot adjacent to the garbage depot be changed,” questioned the corporator, demanding that Chavan’s successor, Pritviraj Chavan, stay the notification of the urban development department issued on November 10. 

Keskar said that as per Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s rule no development or construction is permitted within the 500-metre buffer zone around garbage depots.

“The urban development department allowed change of reservation of the plot bearing survey number 21, Hissa number 1, located in Uruli Devachi,” Keskar added, stating that as per the regional development plan this plot is reserved as agricultural and no-development zone. 

The urban development department officials said that as per a request from the Vaishnavi Mahila Unnati Sanstha, Pune, they have allowed a change in reservation of the plot.

As the state government has deleted the reservation of no-development zone, the plot can be use for residential purpose.