Camp-wallahs recall 'the good old days'

PUNE: Once known for its greenery, opulent bung a l ows and an air of military discipline, the southern command''s Pune Cantonment Board today is a concrete jungle, full of commercial establishments.
Old-timers feel that rampant corruption, unauthorised constructions, poor civic amenities and constant interference from various political parties in the daily administration of PCB has changed their lashkar� into an ailing eyesore.
Jessica Fernandes, a 78-year-old citizen from Bootee street, said that the lop-sided policies of the PCB was defeating the basic purpose of the board.
“Earlier, citizens could easily walk into the PCB office and express their grievances. Today, even repeated complaints about the erratic water supply and poor sanitation facilities fail to move the authorities,� Fernandes rues.
Echoing a similar view, Rajesh Khurade, a resident of Bhopla chowk, cited an example. He told TNN that last week the residents submitted a memorandum to the PCB office on the chronic problems like poor water supply, inadequate civic amenities and the mushrooming unauthorised constructions but no action has come so far.
“For several years, we have been requesting the authorities to improve water supply and solve the garbage menace. It has fallen on deaf ears. In fact, while the entire city suffers from an acute water shortage, PCB continues to supply excess water to a privileged few who own swimming pools,� Khurade said.
The 137-year-old Chhatrapati Shivaji market, once famous for its spacious interiors and hygienic conditions, is today dotted with garbage and unauthorised hawkers. Shivaji Market Machi Ani Khatik Vyavasaya Sanghtna chairman Abdul Rashid told TNN that there were approximately 500 authorised vendors inside the heritage market.
“However, the market is dotted with approximately 300-odd unauthorised vegetable and fruit vendors from outside. Worse still, instead of evicting these illegal hawkers, PCB has installed iron railings and allowed them to hawk even in the parking space,� Rashid said.
Recently, the PCB sanitation department installed two big garbage containers outside the market. But far from solving the garbage problem, flies, kites, stray dogs and stench from the overflowing garbage have only added to the residents'' woes.
Shiv Sena''s PCB sub-division chief Dilip Giramkar told TNN that sanitary conditions were very poor in the area. “Recently, nearly eight dengue cases were reported from PCB. However, the health and sanitation department has not bothered to curb the mosquito menace and fumigate the electoral wards at regular intervals,� Giramkar said.
Environment- and civicconscious citizens came down heavily on the mushrooming unauthorised buildings, which marred the landscape of the area. Social activist Laxmikant Bulbule said PCB officials were blatantly allowing the construction of unauthorised buildings.
“Builders palm-grease officials and get their plans sanctioned. Actual construction, however, is different from what is sanctioned,� Bulbule said.
Advocate Netraprakash Bhog said 90 per cent of the buildings, built after 1980, are unauthorised. “Builders have stealthily converted their parking space and basements into illegal shopping malls. Despite knowing all these malpractices, the officials continue to turn a blind eye,� Bhog lamented.
The board''s latest pay-npark extension scheme at 10 different locations, aimed at reducing haphazard parking and traffic congestion, has also attracted public wrath.
Commuters complain that pay-n-park users were being overcharged. City-based traffic safety expert Chandmal Parmar said that the PCB has become a commercial hub.
“Seventy per cent of the shopkeepers park their vehicles on the roads. Extension of the pay-n-park scheme may solve the parking problem but it will not ease traffic congestion,� Parmar said.