Pune:
Undeterred by the opposition from political parties and even death threat letters, the municipal commissioner of Pimpri Chinchwad Srikar Pardesi continues with his demolition drive, bringing down illegal structures rampantly built in the NCP stronghold. The 39-year-old IAS officer has razed 244 illegal structures so far, many of them multi-storied buildings built on nine lakh square feet area.
Many now call him the demolition man, a tag that was given to GR Khairnar who had similarly headed the demolition drive in Mumbai two decades ago.
Mr Pardesi has vowed to remove all illegal constructions, around 2700 in number, that were built in the last one year. He would have had a daunting task but for the relief that the Congress-NCP government has announced to regularise over 1.2 lakh illegal structures in the commissionerate area by levying a penalty.
Speaking to NDTV, the commissioner who doesn't speak much about his work said that facing opposition and even death threats are part of his job. ''I am just going by the rule book, some people may get upset but I have to follow the law,'' he said. Mr Pardesi said the focus is not just bringing down the illegal structures but ensuring that those who had violated the norms also get punished. ''We have filed police complaints against a thousand odd persons for building illegal structures,'' he said.
But even as people are supporting his daring attempt in the stronghold of NCP, which has been ruling the corporation for more than 15 years, the political parties have all ganged up to oppose the demolitions. NCP mayor Mohini Lande, who confessed that the administration was under the party's grip, said, "ever since Srikar Pardesi took charge, he has simply gone by the books."
"It's the administration that is responsible for so many irregularities. But the commissioner just doesn't listen to people's representatives,'' says the mayor whose husband is the NCP legislator from the area.
Mr Pardesi reiterates that he is going as per norms. ''There has been so much rot in the system. It's difficult, but someone has to clean this mess,'' he said. ''I have never pursued for plum postings, if the government asks me to leave my bags are always packed and ready but till I am here nothing illegal will be tolerated,'' said Mr Pardesi.