Panvel residents want Ganesh Deshmukh back as civic chief

Two days after the Panvel civic chief was transferred, residents have written to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to bring Ganesh Deshmukh back.

Ulhasnagar civic commissioner Sudhakar Deshmukh is the new commissioner of Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Kantilal Kadu, president of Panvel Sangharsh Samiti, said, “Ganesh Deshmukh was doing good work in containing the spread of Covid-19.”

Deshmukh took the charge a Panvel municipal commissioner in April 2018.

“He ensured that social distancing is followed during lockdown and violators are punished. The virus was controlled in the slum pockets of Panvel. At this juncture, it was unfair to transfer him and we want him to be reinstated as Panvel civic commissioner,” said Kadu.

Manohar Shinde, 40, a Kharghar resident, said, “Ganesh Deshmukh was taking measures to improve garbage collection too. He was handling the coronavirus outbreak efficiently.”

Many activists have joined residents in demanding reinstating Ganesh Deshmukh.

“There has been no evidence of community spread of Covid-19 even in the slum pockets of the city,” said Deepak Singh, a Kharghar activist, who too has written to the Chief Minister’s Office to bring back Ganesh Deshmukh.

“He got in touch with NGOs and individuals to ensure that all migrants have food during lockdown,” said Singh.

Panvel MLA Prashant Thakur too has opposed the transfer. “Deshmukh has been targeted and his transfer is politically motivated. He was doing good work to contain the disease in the PCMC area. He should be brought back to the city,” said Thakur.

Ganesh Deshmukh, who is now additional commissioner of Thane Municipal Corporation, said, “I am really moved by the residents’ gesture but I have taken over my new responsibility.”

In 2018, Panvel residents had protested over the transfer of the then municipal commissioner Sudhakar Shinde.