New allegations surface against Shikshan Prasarak Mandali

After Zee 24 Taas and dna exposed the alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Shikshan Prasarak Mandali, new alleged scams or examples of alleged lapses at the trust are coming to the fore. One such example highlights how inaction on the part of the Shi Pra Mandali resulted in giving away five acres of land worth crores of rupees.

It was way back in 1997 that Shi Pra Mandali was allotted the 5-acre plot by the Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA), a Government organization formed for development of adjoining areas of Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporation (PCMC), for for educational purposes. Pimpri-Chinchwad is the city adjoining Pune and is part of the Pune Metropolitan Region, which is the fastest growing urban area in the state.

Former PCNTDA chairman Agasti Kanitkar, who was instrumental in providing this piece of land to Shi Pra Mandali, has alleged that inaction on the part of Shi Pra Mandali to start an English Medium School at this plot has resulted in alleged loss of crores of rupees to the trust.

Despite repeated mails with list of queries on the issue of this plot, Shikshan Prasarak Mandali Governing Council chairman Abhay Dadhe did not respond.

Kanitkar has alleged that Shi Pra Mandali Governing Council and the PCNTDA officials were hand in gloves. He also alleged that the plot was kept un-utilised for the obvious reasons.

Kanitkar has alleged that taking in to account the present price of this land which is to the tune of Rs100 crore, those who are ruling the Shi Pra Mandali affairs had their intentions clear while acquiring the plot at just Rs 4 lakh in those days.

Kanitkar said that all that Shi Pra Mandali could have done was to build a small office at the site and it could have saved the plot. He pointed out that PCNTDA had provided extension for utilising the plot, but Shi Pra Mandali did not do anything to save the plot since their intentions were otherwise. Kanitkar said that the Shi Pra Mandali has built Marathi medium school on another plot in PCNTDA areas but gave away this piece of land depriving the children of this area from having a school nearby their residences. Now, the school students, Kanitkar said, "have to travel at least 3 Kms to attend the school".

Shiv Sena activist Kashinath Jagtap who has filed a Right to Information application in this subject informed that he is going to file an FIR against Shi Pra Mandali. He said that he would be writing a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, education minister Vinod Tawde and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in this regard. He pointed out that the plot is near RTO buildings and citizens from the neighbourhood are facing a lot of problems in the absence of a school.

Jagtap demanded that PCNTDA allot a plot of the same size to any other educational institution other than Shi Pra Mandali so that local students can get a good school close to their homes. At present, he pointed out that students have to travel 3 kms to reach their school. He said that senior citizens from area face a lot of inconvenience during elections as there is no polling station in the vicinity. "A booth can be set up if a school comes up in the area."