Author: Clara Lewis
Publication: The Times of India
Date: June 4, 2011
When the Pawar PublicCharitableTrustwrote
to municipal commissioner SubodhKumar on May4,2011, seeking to rent space
for a school, it identified itself as working for the underprivileged. The
letter, signed by trustee Sadanand Sule,son-inlawof Union agriculture minister
Sharad Pawar, claimed theTrust provided affordable, quality education. Within
48 hourstheBMC agreedtolease part of a building whose possession it received
a day earlier, for a rent of Rs 9.9 lakh for 11 months(Rs 90,000 a month).
Sule in his letter said the construction of
the school's original premises at Chandivali was delayed due to unforeseen
circumstances andithad granted admission to more than 550 students. "To
avoid loss of a term for these students we request you to grant us permission
touse22 rooms at the BMC Training Centre, at Raheja Vihar, Chandivali,'' reads
the document procured under the Right to Information Act. Part of the institute
- 18 rooms - is leased from May15,2011toApril14,2012.
But the Pawar Public School (nursery to Class
X) which has an ICSE curriculum, charges Rs 2,800 per month as tuition fees
besides other expenses. Asked what category of people the Trust considers
'underprivileged', Supriya Sule, MP and managing trustee, said in an SMS,
"I appreciate your concern. We have only taken this for a few months.
Rest assured we are paying rent and will be moving out assoon as possible.''
Documents reveal on May 5, the estates department
got possession of the building from the developer and handedover its physical
possession totheschooleducation department. On May 6, the latter agreed to
rent out part of the building, which is a groundplus three structure spread
over 40,330sq ft,for a year only.
Asked about the speedy clearance, Adtani said
it was not the only file to move swiftly. "Other files move equally fast,''
hesaid. "Wewere not going to use it immediately. Also we have considered
the needs of all children in municipal schools in the area, ensured proper
arrangements and only then rented it out,'' he said. He said the administration
had satisfied itself the Trust was constructing its own school at Chandivali
and required the institute for a year only. "We took an affidavit from
theschooltothateffect.''
In January 2010, the BMC decided to stop renting/leasing
out its school premises till a new policy was framed. Municipalcommissioner
Subodh Kumar said, "The January 2010 circular is on long-term lease.
The additional municipalcommissioner can rentout a premise for 11 months.
I made it clear that it has to be strictly on merit,'' he said.
