Pune: PMC Wasted Rs 1.5 Crores Of Taxpayers On Mobile Tanks For Ganapati Immersion – Vivek Velankar

Pune, 12th September 2022: In this year’s Ganeshotsav, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) prepared 150 mobile immersion tanks for Ganesha immersion due to the inexplicable vision of the Pune Municipal Commissioner and the administration. But due to this ‘donation’ of Rs 1.5 crores, which was taken out without need, the money of the citizens of Pune went ahead. While four lakh 30 thousand idols were immersed in the entire Ganeshotsav, only 54,000 idols were immersed in these moving tanks. Vivek Velankar, president of Sajag Nagrik Manch, has demanded that this cost be recovered from the pockets of commissioners and officials.

In fact, the PMC had arranged 46 built wells, 359 iron tanks, and 191 idol collection/donation centres at various places and ghats in the city for Ganesh immersion and it was proving to be sufficient till 2019. Due to the lockdown in 2020 and 2021, as these disposal systems were not available, the Municipal Corporation hired 60 mobile tanks for the entire city and the work was completed.

“Since there was no lockdown this year, all the regular Ganapati immersion options from iron tanks to idol collection were available, but with the incomprehensible assumption of the Pune Municipal Commissioner and the administration, the Pune Municipal Corporation took 150 mobile tanks for Ganesh immersion”, Velankar added.

There was no need for this but it was speculated that this expenditure would go down the drain. According to the statistics released by the PMC itself, it is clear that it is true. Out of the total 4,30,091 idols that came for immersion, barely 13 per cent were immersed in this mobile tanks. This means that almost Rs 1.5 crores of citizens’ taxes went down the drain due to the Commissioner’s speculation, he alleged.

“The decision of the Commissioner, who played an important role in taking away the 40 per cent discount available for the last 50 years to the citizens who pay honest property tax, is very infuriating. Now this money should be recovered from the salary of the municipal commissioner, additional commissioner and officials, the public should make a rightful demand,” said Velankar.

Immersion in well -87,948

Iron tank immersion-2,01,447

Immersion in rotating fountain-54,703

Idol Collection -85,993

Total idol immersion -4,30,091

Nirmalya collection -5,62,645 kg