A delegation comprising Mayor Madhukar Pawle, Commissioner B I Nagrale, Additional Commissioner R B Konde, standing committee chairperson Shamim Pathan, Opposition leader Amrut Parhad, and medical officer K Nagkukar was to attend the seminar scheduled between June 7 and 11. PCMC had been extended an invitation by the United States Embassy for attending the seminar conducted under the aegis of the United Asia Environment Partnership.

The proposed visit drew criticism from some citizens groups, as well as deputy mayor Murlidhar Dhage and independent corporator Nandu Jadhav. Dhage who was not included in the delegation, had threatened to undertake a hunger strike for opposing the tour. A petition filed in the Pimpri court by a local organisation, ``Front Against Corruption'' which opposed the tour, was rejected by the court.

After the invitation was received early last week, the corporation sought a permission from the State Government on Monday last. The standing committee, at its meeting last Tuesday, approved the expenses for the tour. The air-fare alone for the six persons was Rs 4.2 lakh.

Nagrale, when contacted, today said that the State Government's permission for the visit had not been received as yet, and it was highly unlikely that the letter (for permission) could be received now. The visit has therefore been cancelled, he added.

Mayor Pawle, however, criticised the individuals and organisations who opposed the tour. He said these organisations had never raised any objections when officials and elected office-bearers had undertaken foreign visits in the past. Parhad said that the opposition to the tour was totally uncalled for because the corporation needs to implement modern techniques as implemented in major foreign countries like Japan and America for solid waste management.

It may be recalled that the State Government had refused permission to a civic delegation from Pimpri-Chinchwad to visit Bremen in Germany last year. However, the then mayor Hanumanth Bhosale and three other elected office-bearers visited Germany and born all the expenses themselves.