Undri Mohamadwadi residents to boycott property tax
Renuka Suryavanshi
Angry over poor services by Pune Municipal Corporation, residents of Undri, Mohammadwadi have decided to not to pay property tax for 2022-23. The residents held a protest today, on February 20, 2022 at Punekar chowk in Mohammadwadi as a mark to raise their voice against the injustice by the civic body.
The protest saw presence of former minister Bapu Shivtare, Prabhag 26 NIBM Mohamadwadi local Corporator Pramod Bhangire who promised to raise the issue with the higher authorities in the Pune Municipal Corporation.
A protest was organised by Undri Residents Association.
Shivtare said, “It was long ago that I had proposed a plan which would have supplied adequate water supply to the residents of Pune City, but it was not accepted. Now the residents are facing the brunt of wrong decisions.” Shivtare promised that the residents should boycott the tax till the PMC listens to the demands and gives justice to the residents.
Prabhag 26 Corporator Pramod Bhangire assured that he shall set up a meeting with the water department chief and ensure that the residents get water supply from shortly. He said, “Till the PMC plans anything for this area, I shall provide one tanker daily to each society. Also, I will ensure that PMC takes up laying of the water pipeline under 24*7 water supply scheme at the earliest.”
Dr Ashwin Khilare, president, Undri Residents said, “Undri and Mohamadwadi, both the villages have been merged in the Pune Municipal Corporation. Both of them are struggling for water supply. Other basic amenities are missing too in the area, even when residents are honest tax payers. We will no longer bear the brunt of mismanagement of the civic administration. We are looking for a permanent solution to our problem now.”
The residents burnt copies of the property tax bills as a mark of protest. Citizens also raised issues of proper roads, cleaning of roads, creating amenities in the area and resolving drainage issues. The protest saw presence of Gauri Phulaware, Swati Takle, Tanaji Kad, Jayashri Punekar and residents of neighboring societies who are suffering due to no water supply.
Jayashree Ganesh, secretary of Hills N Dales society in Undri and secretary of Undri Residents Association, she said, “Dependence on costly water tankers which supply very hard boring water have ruined our way of living. The side effects are causing a toll on our health, wealth and lifestyle. With no water pipelines, narrow and bumpy roads, illegal encroachment and lack of other basic facilities (poor garbage management, no fire station, etc) the existing property tax is on a higher side. It is really unfair to have same slab of property tax all over the city. Pune is supposed to be one of the smart cities, with only few areas which are focused on. And the not so newly areas merged are neglected to be a part of development.”
