Poona’s priorities

"The board of trustees of the Poona Parsee Panchayat has now decided to proceed with the construction of flats to be given on 99 years’ leasehold on the lands below the Anjuman Tower of Silence…next to the Mount Carmel School,” notes the 48th annual report of the Panchayat summarizing the major developments for two years — April 1, 2003 to March 31, 2004 and April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2005. The flats for Zoroastrian Parsis and Iranis will be allotted on payment of cost of the construction and amenities, etc. The inauguration of the Sir Dadabhoy P. B. Jeejebhoy Boys Hostel for Parsi/Irani Zoroastrians should be a boon to needy and deserving students coming to Poona for education, mentions the report presented at the 48th annual general meeting on June 10, 2006.

For the use of the ruwan bungli and other services during the last rites of deceased Zoroastrians the Panchayat has not been charging any amounts. But since the services and maintenance of the bunglis, dakhmas and dadgah do cost a lot they are hoping that community members will voluntarily contribute for this cause. Since February 2006, the second solar concentrator has been installed at the Doongerwadi. The pavilion outside the Ruwan Bungli on Dastur Meher Road is courtesy the late Dhun Dadabhoy.

The summary of their audited statement of accounts for two financial years indicates the priorities accorded in the year ended March 2004 and 2005. While in the earlier year, the highest sum of Rs 5,72,798 was expended on religious objects (of which Rs 3,71,662 were on gahambars and Rs 1,63,490 on dakh-mas), Rs 3,62,525 on education, Rs 3,42,055 on medical relief and Rs 2,12,800 on relief of poverty, in the next year the highest, Rs 3,54,805 was on medical relief, Rs 3,26,171 on education, Rs 2,49,850 on relief of poverty and Rs 1,76,625 on religious expenses. At the end of two years the corpus of the Panchayat stood at Rs 12,52,63,662 with their immovable properties valued at Rs 10,64,03,296 and income from rent being Rs 35,85,628. Among establishment expenses, the highest, Rs 381,643 was on account of electricity and among property expenditure, the highest, Rs 2,815,112 was on P.M.C. Tax with repairs and maintenance coming next at Rs 337,884.

According to the current board of trustees, which includes chairman Firdous Kayani, vice chairman Jamshed Bokdawala, treasurer Porusasp Mehta, secretary Adil Sarondewala, joint secretary Dara Irani and trustees Tehmasp Bharucha and Hoshang Dorabjee, the "most awaited project is the Old People’s Home and an agiary” with efforts being on to locate generous donors.