Pune: The State Sainik Welfare Department has directed 13 families to vacate govt accommodation meant exclusively for war widows in Wanowrie by Sept 10 after an inspection revealed that the families had occupied the space for several years.A committee set up by the Pune divisional commissioner, Chandrakant Pulkundwar, found out that eligible war widows were deprived of their rightful housing benefit because these families had occupied the premises.Lt Col Satish Hange, deputy director of the department, told TOI, “We sent them notice last week. Once they vacate the accommodation, we will give it to the eligible widows who do not have a house in the city.”The housing facility was built in 1968, and has 24 flats and an assembly hall. It was established for the widows of soldiers martyred in the 1965 Indo-Pak war. The housing facility was constructed on 0.65 acres of land leased by the defence department at a token annual rent of Rs 1.65, with funding from the Maharashtra Motor Parts Dealers Association and Pune Sewa Sangam.As per the rules of the War Widows Management Committee, only landless and homeless widows from Maharashtra are entitled to stay in these flats for life. Dependents of deceased widows are not eligible once the widow has passed away.“However, a survey ordered by the divisional commissioner on May 29 revealed that while 11 flats are occupied by surviving widows, 13 are being held by relatives of deceased widows. Most of these occupants are well above 25 years of age, and therefore, ineligible under the committee’s rules,” added Hange.Hange is also the Pune district Sainik welfare officer.The department, following the findings, issued formal notices on June 24 telling all ineligible occupants to vacate the premises.Officials said the action was necessary to prevent misuse of the facility and to ensure flats are available for genuine beneficiaries. A structural audit of the building has also been ordered by the public works department.“This facility was created for the war widows who sacrificed everything for the nation. It cannot be treated as hereditary property,” a senior official said on the condition of anonymity.“The housing was created as a welfare measure to support war widows in need, but its misuse over the years has limited its availability,” the official said.“We have made it clear that after the eviction, priority will be given to genuine beneficiaries—war widows without housing in Pune,” added the official.
