Probe sought into Pune Municipal Corporation officers’ jaunt

City activists have raised questions regarding the foreign tour of some senior officers of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

They want to know how these officers could go on a tour when the city was witnessing heavy rains that led to a flood-like situation. 

They have demanded an inquiry by the PMC about the trip and necessary action should be taken against the officials concerned.
Municipal commissioner Mahesh Pathak said the five officers had taken leave and had also got permission to leave the headquarters. They can go on a foreign tour on a private visit, he added.

Pathak has received a complaint from some civic activists and he has promised to get information on the issue. Civic activists Vivek Velankar (Sajag Nagrik Manch), Vijay Kumbhar (Surajya Sangharsha Samiti), Jugal Rathi (PMP Pravasi Manch), Sudhir Kaka Kulkarni (Nagari Hakka Samiti) and Suryakant Pathak (Grahak Panchayat) have written to Pathak.

According to reports in a section of media, three officials from the road department and two zonal commissioners had gone on a foreign tour sponsored by a foreign company.

This would conveys wrong signals to the public and would be detrimental to the credibility of the civic administration, the activists pointed out.