Pune mayor to return K'tka award over Belgaum body dissolution

City mayor Vaishali Bankar (NCP), supported by other parties in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to return an award instituted by Karnataka government for best waste management, in protest against its dissolution of Belgaum civic body in the disputed border region, contested by Maharashtra.

The award, actually handed over to PMC officials at a conference of civic bodies held at Mysore last week, hailing Pune civic body's excellence in solid waste management will be returned after group leaders of various political parties including Congress and Shiv Sena raised the issue of alleged atrocities on Marathi speaking people in Karnataka and controversial dissolution of Belgaum civic body.

"In view of the sentiments expressed by various political parties in PMC, it has been decided to return the award for which PMC was selected from about 200 civic bodies in the country," Bankar told PTI today.

A decision to this effect was taken at an all party meeting of PMC on Monday, which also resolved to send a communication to Karnataka government condemning its posture as regards Marathi population in the disputed border areas.