Tobacco-chewing corporators painting PMC red

Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal announces fine for corporators found chewing tobacco products during General Body meeting

The city may be grappling to check swine flu, but those in charge of preventing outbreak of epidemics are least bothered about keeping their surroundings clean.u00a0

A bunch of corporators who regularly attend the General Body (GB) meeting of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have been allegedly dirtying the area by spitting. Peons and workers deployed to clean the area complained that most of them chew tobacco and spit when the GB meeting is in session.

To check erring corporators Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal has announced a penalty for those caught chewing tobacco. "I am issuing an order to ban gutkha and tobacco in the GB hall. The penalty will be Rs 50 for those who posses these packets. The fine will be increased later. The order will be issued with immediate effect."

The menace had grown to such an extent that even women corporators had started complaining. "At least 30 to 40 corporators chew tobacco during the meeting and litter the place with packets. Most of them spit out of the window," complained BJP corporator Medha Kulkarni.

Kulkarni had made suggestions to mayor Rajpal in the recent GB that the PMC should keep spittoons for those who chew tobacco.

Hajibuddin Shaikh, owner of Piya Pan Stall, opposite the PMC building, Shivajinagar, said, "I sell at least 50 to 60 packets of tobacco, gutkha and paan when the GB meeting is on. None of the corporators purchase them personally, they send their friends or peons."

Former mayor Rajlakshmi Bhosale said it was embarrassing to see the stained walls and tobacco packets outside the GB meeting hall. "It is ironical that on the one hand corporators discuss about controlling the spread of swine flu, malaria and dengue, and on the other, they themselves are guilty of unclean habits," Bhosale said.

A class IV worker of PMC on condition of anonymity said, "I collect almost hundred packets of tobacco daily. On days there is a GB meeting, the halls and rooms are exceptionally dirty."