Pune: Even after 32 years, the issue surrounding the house promised to the family of late freedom fighter and former MLA Jagannath Pataskar remains unresolved.
In 1992, Pataskar donated 7.5 acres of his land in Daund city for public purposes. Despite this significant contribution, his third generation continues to live in rented accommodation.
Pataskar, a dedicated freedom fighter who was imprisoned four times, had hoped his family would be provided a home in return for the land. Although the foundation stone was laid by then-Chief Minister Sharad Pawar in 1992, the municipality later claimed the land was reserved and retracted it. Pataskar passed away on November 3, 1992.
Due to the indifference of the authorities (excluding the Urban Development Department) and the apathy of the state government, the issue remains unresolved.
The Pataskar family’s only means of livelihood is a low-cost grocery shop. On July 21, 2021, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar directed the then-District Collector Rajesh Deshmukh to resolve the land issue within a month. However, even after three years, the issue remains unresolved.
In April 2022, the Urban Development Department completed all formalities, and the land file was submitted to the Chief Minister's Office for final decision. The Revenue Department’s file, after resolving all discrepancies, was submitted to the Ministry in August 2023. However, no one seems to have the time to make a decision on these files.
