Pune civic officials admit they met builders

Two officials of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday admitted before the standing committee that they had attended a meeting involving some builders of the city at a posh hotel in Kharadi.

An official from the office of the city engineer, Madan Adhari, confirmed that he, along with additional city engineer, Vivek Kharwadkar, had asked their colleagues to attend the meeting. Adhari claimed that they attended the meeting since NCP MLA, Bapu Pathare, had invited them.

They said if any elected representative invites them for any meeting, they have to attend it.

Standing committee chairman, Arvind Shinde, criticised Pathare and advised him to concentrate on the work related to the state government. Standing committee member Ujwal Keskar took a dig at Pathare and asked whether he is a representative of citizens or builders. “Citizens in Ahmednagar Road area are facing water scarcity. Pathare is working in the interest of builders instead of focusing on the issue,” Keskar said.

He alleged that Pathare did not want to solve the water problem in his area as it would hamper his water tanker business.

When contacted, the NCP MLA said he had no ulterior motive in holding the meeting. “Is there any rule that such meetings cannot take place? The meeting was organised not to serve the vested interest of the builders but for the development of the area,” he said.