BJP Corporator files PIL in Bombay High Court over water crisis in Sus-Mhalunge
Chaitraly Deshmukh
Pune based Bharatiya Janata Party corporator has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) in Bombay High Court alleging that they have failed to recognise the gravity and seriousness of the problems faced by the residents due to lack of water supply in both, Sus and Mhalunge villages.
Sus and Mhalunge are among the 23 villages which have been included in the jurisdiction of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in July 2021. Earlier these areas were under the PMDRA.
Balwadkar has filed a PIL in the Bombay High court through Advocate Satya Muley.
On Tuesday while addressing the media, Balwadkar said, “I was repeatedly following up with the concerned authorities to provide water arrangement facilities but they prefer to remain inactive. This prompted me to take this step and approach the court. Earlier these villages were falling under the PMRDA limits. They had approved construction plans and granted commencement and occupation certificates to several construction sites. There are more than 100 societies who are suffering due to lack of water supply. It seems PMRDA has taken undertaking from such developers or builders to make their own arrangements for water supplies at their own cost.”
He further said, “The housing societies in these two villages have to depend on commercial tanker operations which incurs heavy cost on these societies. We have challenged such inaction to resolve the water supply problem and illegal action of taking such affidavits from the builders and developers by the named respondents. This act of PMRDA is an illegal practice as well as violating the Rights of citizens under the Indian Constitution.”
Amol’s lawyer Satya Muley said, “Despite repeated attempts to resolve the issue the respondents failed to give a fruitful response which prompted us to file PIL. We have raised the point that the infrastructure is not place for supplying drinking-domestic use of water for the existing residents of Sus-Mhalunge villages then there is no justification in giving permission for new and more construction of residential buildings as will as this is adding number and leading to deficit of water crises.”
The petition said, “To give interim or alternative arrangements to be made by PMC and PMRDA for facilities of water supply.”
When Pune Pulse approached the lawyers and authorities from Pune Municipal Corporation and PMRDA the officers claimed that they are yet to get details of such PIL and as matter is sub-judice the legal team is taking care of it.
