Girish Bapat asks PMC to allocate Rs 1 cr for Savitribai Phule memorial

Girish Bapat asks PMC to allocate Rs 1 cr for Savitribai Phule memorial

PUNE: Pune District Guardian Minister Girish Bapat has asked the Pune Municipal Corporation to allocate funds of Rs 1 crore to build a grand memorial in the name of Savitribai Phule at Bhide Wada near Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple. 

The first school for girls was started in Pune at Bhide Wada on January 1, 1848, by Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule.

Bapat on Wednesday told reporters that the memorial will mark the contribution of Savitribai Phule to society. Speaking about the memorial, Siddharth Dhende, Deputy Mayor and member of Bhide Wada Smarak Samiti, said that from last 15 years the corporation is trying to get the wada declared as a national monument. “It was under land acquisition process and the High Court asked the Pune Municipal Corporation to rehabilitate the eight shops located in the wada,” added Dhende.

Bapat also asked the State Tourism Department to start the work of the memorial at the earliest.

Speaking on the purification project of Mula and Mutha rivers, Bapat said funds of Rs 99 crore have been sanctioned for the project under the National River Conservation Scheme. “Under the National River Conservation Scheme, 396 million litres of sewage water will be treated and released in both the rivers. This project has already been started and it will be completed by 2022,” added Bapat.

PLEA FOR NAT’L MONUMENT STATUS
The first girls school was named after the owner of the wada, Tatyarao Bhide, who was a social worker. However, the school was shut down after 15 years. To preserve it, Bhide Wada Smarak Samiti appealed to the Bombay High Court in 2010 to declare it a national monument, but the issue is pending in court.

Enjoyed reading The Bridge Chronicle?
Your support motivates us to do better. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay updated with the latest stories.
You can also read on the go with our Android and iOS mobile app.

Related Stories

No stories found.
logo
The Bridge Chronicle
www.thebridgechronicle.com