PUNE: More than a week after the the state govt issued a notification declaring a separate municipal council for Uruli Devachi and Phursungi, a group of local residents has opposed the demerger from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). They have decided to challenge the notification in the Bombay high court.
They staged an agitation at Saswad road on Saturday. “Citizens have not opposed the area’s inclusion in the PMC limits. But our concern was heavy property tax and lack of basic amenities. These issues should be addressed. A separate municipal council is not the solution,” Sanjay Harpale said.
Another resident Ulhas Shelke said the issue of demerger had been raised in the high court that said the govt should follow “due procedure” before making a decision. “We expected that our opinions would be considered. However, the authorities concerned have not done so. Hence, we will approach the high court against the notification.”
The two areas, located on Pune-Saswad road ahead of Hadapsar, were part of the 11 villages that were merged into the PMC limits in 2017. Years after a demerger demand was made by residents, the state govt had in March 2023 issued a notification in this regard and had invited suggestions and objections.
According to the demerger proposal, residents were unable to pay hefty property tax to the PMC, and hence the villages were not getting adequate funds for infrastructure and other development works. The notification was challenged in the high court.
On Sept 11, the govt issued a final notification to exclude these areas from the PMC jurisdiction and to constitute a separate Phursungi Uruli Devachi Municipal Council. The govt, however, excluded the waste depot in Uruli Devachi from the council’s purview and allowed it to remain with the corporation.
