PUNE, DEC 7: This may be an age of computers where their need is now widespread in just about each government office or department, but the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) does not seem to believe it, as it has denied the requirement of two computers for the all-important land acquisition department.The irony is that the PCMC spends up to Rs 10 crore for land acquisitions every year but does not seem to have the inclination to spend a few lakh rupees needed for computerisation of this department.The land acquisition department works under the directives of the district collectorate and two officers of the rank of deputy collector have been appointed here to oversee its operations. The department exclusively handles all cases relating to land acquisition for the PCMC.This department had made a demand of just a single computer for its office last month. The PCMC town planning department made a recommendation that two computers be provided to this department. The demand, however, has beenturned down by the PCMC.Significantly, the State Government has issued directives to the municipal corporations to provide all the necessary requirements of this department. So far, the PCMC has provided only a jeep and a telephone connection for the land acquistion department.Civic sources said that there are nearly 100 proposals of land acquisition which are to be cleared by the land acquisition department. The delay in the process of land acquisitions means heavy losses for the PCMC as the municipal corporation has to pay the accumulated interest on the principal amount to be paid as land price.Computers would help in not only in better maintenance of the land records but easy disposal of all the land acquisition cases, the sources felt.
