Cars only if useful: Court

PUNE, Oct 16: Pune Municipal Corporation court civil judge (junior division) Shiv Motariya today directed the municipal commissioner to verify the facts before issuing the cheque for purchasing 16 cars for ward committee chairpersons.

The civil judge said in his order that public fund be used to purchase cars only if they were necessary for the convenience of work and effective work. The court had granted a temporary stay on the implementation of the PMC resolution to purchase cars for ward committee heads. Advocate Mohan Deshmukh had filed the suit praying that the PMC should not indulge in the luxury of buying 16 Ambassador cars as it was unable to provide adequate civic amenities.

Advocate V.S. Bhandare, who appeared for Deshmukh, had argued that the PMC was unable to discharge its mandatory duties like providing water and street lights for want of funds. “So it would not be fair to squander public funds on the purchase of cars.” The PMC would have to incur the additional expenditure on fuel and drivers and maintenance, he had pointed out.

The PMC had defended the decision to “ensure speedy and effective service to the people.” It said a budgetary provision had been made and the cars would be more useful in view of the inclusion of 38 fringe villages in its jurisdiction. Advocate V.S. Hardikar appeared for the PMC.