PMC fire chief confirms CAG findings

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="">PUNE: Pune''s fire chief L N Raut confirmed the CAG''s report, which said that money meant for a fire station at Sinhagad Road was diverted by the PMC to construct a "samaj mandir" in the area. He said that the money was diverted despite his opposition.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="">Raut said the PMC had also made a provision of Rs 15 lakh in the 2000-2002 budget for fire-stations.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="">"However land acquisition problems led to the budgetary provisions for the fire stations being utilised to construct a samaj mandir in the same area," he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="">If Sinhagad Road residents are without a fire station, the residents of Chamdi galli, Nana Peth dread the thought of another fire in their area.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="">On March 27, 1999, this locality of lower middle-class residents was devastated in a major fire that injured 102 people, left 135 families (about 1,000 people) homeless and destroyed property valued at Rs 78 lakh.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="">The CAG, on page 67 of its report has noted, "Fire could not be controlled immediately, as the area was very congested. A proposal to widen the narrow roads was pending with the Pune Municipal Corporation for final action (May 2003)."</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-family:="" arial="" font-size:="">Raut had little to offer by way of a response. He said that a proposal had been submitted to the PMC in 1999. However, that proposal was pending consideration with the slum development (Galichha vasti nirmulan) department, he said.</span></div> </div>