On Saturday, the Civic Administration of Pune convened and formed a three-member committee where PCMC (Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation) drew the attention of the members present there about the poor and low-quality masks which were handed to the poverty-stricken people without any charges.
The respective corporators, directed by NCP leaders Mangala Kadam and Datta Sane, claimed that the soaps distributed to destitute people were purchased at exorbitant rates. Datta Sane was the first person to flag the matter.
While speaking to The Indian Express, Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar said, “I am shocked at the quality of masks that we received… In the beginning, some lots had masks of good quality. But the masks that came in later… were of pathetic quality.”
Leaving no stone unturned to find the culprits, Commissioner Hardikar assured a fair probe. Once the investigation gets accomplished, he will disclose details on the sources the masks were bought from.
The commissioner rebutted the claims made by the corporators of purchasing the soaps at a much higher cost; he stated that “the soaps are of good quality and purchased at lower rates.” They distributed them among the poor and encouraged them to use and frequently wash.
He said that prior to making wearing masks a compulsion across the country, the PCMC had taken the initiative to make them mandatory in its domain and a penalty of ₹500 was levied on those not wearing the masks. “The widespread use of masks by local residents has helped us curb the spread of the infection,” the commissioner said.
He further added that PCMC had decided to distribute masks free of cost in slums where social distancing is complex and not managed properly.
At the same time, the civic committee has decided to lower the amount of fine imposed on residents to ₹200 for not wearing a mask while stepping out of their homes.