RPI threatens agitation if city engineer's powers not restored
RPI threatens agitation if city engineer's powers not restored
The Republican Party of India (RPI) is livid over Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Zagade's decision to strip city engineer Prashant Waghmare of his powers to grant building permissions and execute development plans.
Playing the Dalit card, the Ramdas Athawale faction of the RPI has threatened to agitate against Zagade
and is demanding his resignation if the issue is not looked into.
Protests at PMC
The Pune Engineers Association (PEA), a body of PMC engineers, had also organised an agitation outside the Municipal Commissioner's office on Saturday.
The RPI also participated in the agitation, raising slogans and alleging a conspiracy against backward class officers.
RPI leaders Hanumant Sathe and Navnath Kamble said Zagade's decision was unfair.
"It is unfair to hand over Waghmare's responsibilities to Vivek Kharwadkar, the additional city engineer who was earlier embroiled in a controversy and faced corruption charges," said Sathe.
Corruption charges
RPI leaders said Kharwadkar was involved in corruption in Ward Number 7 in the past.
Highlighting Waghmare's work, like slum rehabilitation, traffic-related works and sewage treatment, the political activists claimed several corporators from the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party were supporting their agitation.
The redistribution of duties between Waghmare and Kharwadkar came about after 10 people lost their lives in floods in the city because of excessive rain.
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