True Colours of Pune

Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak says he is not of charge of water supply and so it’s no use giving him a petition on it

Nav Bharat Democratic Party protests against Mr Pathak’s curt behavior towards Vinita Deshmukh, the Lok Sabha candidate of the only citizen’s party of Pune, Nav Bharat Democratic Party

Nav Bharat Democratic Party which has taken up the campaign of `Punyacha Paani Punya saathich’ (Pune’s water for Pune only) wanted to give a petition to Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak on Thursday, to appeal to him that water for Puneites should not be cut just because the PMC does not meet the deadline of reducing water leakages and thefts and not abiding by the mandatory clause of treating 6.5 TMC sewage water per day and releasing it to the irrigation department.

This is how the conversation roughly went:

Vinita Deshmukh: Good Morning Mr Pathak. Nav Bharat Democratic Party has taken up the campaign of `Punyacha Paani Punya saathich.’ Could you give me an appointment today to hand over a petition regarding this?

Mahesh Pathak: Give it to the irrigation department which is responsible.

Vinita: Mr Pathak, but the PMC is required to stop water leakages and treat 6.5 TMC sewage water every day if Puneites do not have to suffer water cuts

Pathak: There is no use giving it to me. I am not in charge of that. Give it to the water supply department.

Vinita: But as the Municipal Commissioner you are the head of PMC and I would like to give it to you.

Pathak: What will happen if you give it to me? You think the problem will be solved just by giving your petition?

Vinita: I would like to hope that it would be solved but nevertheless what is wrong if I want to give it to you, in your capacity as the municipal commissioner?

Pathak: Today I am busy – the Chief Minister is in Pune

Vinita: Okay, I shall come tomorrow

Pathak: No, you give it to V G Kulkarni

CONVERSATION OVER

Nav Bharat strongly objects to the shirking of responsibility of Mr Mahesh Pathak and declining time for handing over the petition. We insist on handing over the copy to Pathak on Monday as CM is in the city today.

Today, we are giving the petition to CM Mr Prithiviraj Chavan

Vinita Deshmukh

Pune Lok Sabha 2014 candidate for Nav Bharat Democratic Party.

October 25, 2013

Vinita Deshmukh

Nav Bharat Democratic Party's Lok Sabha Candidate for 2014. www.nav-bharat.org
Senior Journalist, RTI columnist & activist
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Consulting Editor, MoneyLife (www.moneylife.in)

Author of the book `The Mighty Fall' (based on Pratibha Patil post-retirement home scam and Dow Chemicals - success stories through use of RTI)

co-author of the book`To The Last Bullet' (based on Vinita Kamte's expose of the needless deaths of her police officer husband Ashok Kamter along with Hemant Karkare and Vijay Salaskar in 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, through evidence she procured under RTI)

Compiled and edited a book on RTI for YASHADA, `Milestone 7: Journey of RTI Act'

Guest faculty in Sri Balaji Society for teaching Conversational English and Communication Skills

Guest faculty in MIT, School of Government for teaching RTI Act

Convener, RTI Forum For Instant Information (RFII)

Convener, Pune Passport Grievance Forum (PPGF)

Convener, Pune Metro Jagruti Abhiyaan

My philosophy: When the nation is gripped with colossal corruption, participate in whatever way you can to cleanse it, for the biggest crime is to suffer injustice