Pune Municipal Corporation goes virtual with all important meetings

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to conduct the general body and standing committee meetings online.

The decision has been taken following a spike in positive cases among the PMC staffers and elected members. Mayor Murulidhar Mohol and some senior officials have tested positive for Covid-19. Apart from the mayor, four elected members and MLAs as well as a former legislator have announced that they are Covid-19 positive.
Many PMC staff members have been advised to be home quarantined as a safety measure. After successfully conducting online standing committee meeting earlier this week, virtual meetings will be a regular feature now.
"The civic administration has started to conduct online meetings to ensure that physical distancing is maintained. The aim is also to avoid the spread of the virus in civic headquarters," said commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.
According to him, 147 PMC staff members were infected by the virus out of which 70 have been declared Covid-19 free and discharged. "A couple of elected members and senior officials will be present in the office and chair the meeting from there. The weblink of video conferencing will be shared with the elected members. They will attend it from their respective homes," said Rahul Jagtap, head of PMC’s information technology department.
He said that the civic body will conduct the meetings online till further notice. The date and time of the meetings will be conveyed to the civic officials and elected members in advance. It is mandatory to conduct the general body meeting every month. If the meeting is not conducted or any elected member remains absent for three consecutive meetings, then s/he can lose membership.