RTI activists question Zurmure’s appointment

Right To Information (RTI) activists Vaibhav Gandhi and Vinod Jain are raising questions over Naresh Zurmure's appointment as additional municipal Commissioner and chief garden superintendent of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

RTI activists question Zurmure's appointment

The duo, who had earlier filed a writ (93/2009) against the PMC for permitting tree cutting without the consent of the High Court, contend that Zurmure’s appointment as chief garden superintendent was made arbitrarily. “We also suspect some tampering in the transfer order issued by the deputy chief secretary of the state government on July 26, 2010,” said Jain.u00a0

Naresh Zurmure

“The chief garden superintendent is a local post filled by the civic body after issuing an advertisement in newspapers. Zurmure did not apply formally after the advertisement was published in local newspapers on July 7, 2009. Due to his appointment as chief garden superintendent, the right of the local candidate was denied,” said Jain.

Crying foul: Activists Vaibhav Gandhi and Vinod Jain contend that procedures were not followed in appointing Naresh Zurmure the PMC’s chief garden superintendent. File Pics

Gandhi said, “It is absurd that the chief garden superintendent is also holding a charge as additional municipal commissioner, since the latter is an elevated post.”> Jain said, “Zurmure while working with the state forest department at Sawantwadi in Sindhudurg as deputy chief forest conservator was transferred on July 28, 2010, to the PMC as a chief garden superintendent. Later, he was given an additional charge as additional municipal commissioner (General) with a beacon-fitted car.”

The other side
Zurmure refuted the charges levelled by the tree activists. He said, “I was sent on deputation to the PMC by the forest department, a transfer that is common all over the country. The post of additional municipal commissioner is my additional responsibility.”u00a0PMC Commissioner Mahesh Pathak said that Zurmure was given additional charge of additional commissioner after the former additional commissioner retired from the post. “The additional charge given to Zurmure is temporary and it can be withdrawn if need be,” said Pathak.
u00a0

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels