pune tilak road residents who have decided to move the bombay high court to reconsider its decision on allowing programmes after 10 pm at the ganesh kala krida manch gkkm have accused the pune municipal corporation pmc of twisting the facts with the aim of seeking extension for using loudspeakers during the pune festival programmes the residents names not mentioned said even a lay person who reads the civil application forwarded by the municipal commissioner to the high court would be able to say that the facts in the case had been distorted besides referring to the gkkm as an auditorium the pmc had made several prayers which were biased and painted a distorted image about the ganesh festival celebrations in the city they added pointing out to one of the prayers in the pmcs application to the high court the residents said that a picture was painted before the court to show that punes ganesh festival celebrations and the pune festival held at the gkkm were the same pune festival is just one event in punes ganesh festival a resident said adding that if this had been made clear the high court would not have favoured the pmc the pmc prayer states lord ganesh being the presiding deity of pune has special place of importance for puneites this festival involves art dance culture etc organised by the pune festival committee citizens of pune and tourism departments of the state and government of india the auditorium being the main venue of the festival programmes the extension was sought in its application the pmc had also stated that if the relief sought by it ie extension of the deadline and permission to carry out repairs at the gkkm was not granted by the court then irreparable loss and hardship that cannot be compensated in terms of money will be caused not only to the applicant pmc but also to the citizens of pune the residents also referred to municipal commissioner tc benjamins recent press statement where he had said that pune was the focal point of the festival celebrations and hence the pmc had filed the civil application for allowing programmes at the gkkm after 10 pm if the pmc was really worried about the ganesh festival celebrations in the city it should have sought relaxation of the 10pm deadline for playing of loudspeakers at all ganesh pandals in the city they said when contacted a civic officer said the gkkm was the pmcs property not all the places where ganesh pandals are erected however the residents pointed out that the city roads where 90 per cent of the pandals are erected are also owned by the pmc and it collects rent from them as it does in the case of the gkkm the pmc had not approached the court seeking relaxation in the deadline for the mandals who hire the pmcowned city roads they noted interestingly the pune police have already warned ganesh mandals that they would be penalised if