Civic chief Ajoy Mehta’s new directive has irked corporators in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Civic chief Ajoy Mehta’s new directive has irked corporators in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). He has directed civic officials not to accompany political leaders on their visits to civic works. The move has annoyed the corporators, who have alleged this is a deliberate attempt to cover up civic body’s failure in its pre-monsoon works.
In the monthly review meeting held at BMC headquarters last week, Mr Mehta directed civic officials to stop going on the visits undertaken by various political parties and instead concentrate on their works at office. “No civic official should go on such visits without taking my prior permission,” he told officials.
Every year, the BMC undertakes pre-monsoon preparatory works like desilting, road repair, filling of trenches etc. To take stock of these works, leaders from political parties visit these places along with civic officials, activists and media people.
According to the civic officials, they had to attend these tours to brief leaders about these works. But, it leads to loss of many work-hours, which ultimately affects their office work and result in the delay.
Mr Mehta has prohibited civic officials to attend these visits, saying that they better should concentrate on their office works. However, while speaking to The Asian Age, the civic chief denied having prohibited them from attending these trips. “I have not banned them to attend the visits. I have just asked them to take permission before going,” he said.
However, civic chief’s move has upset the corporators, who have alleged that Mr Mehta is trying to hide BMC’s failure to carry out pre-monsoon works properly. By not allowing civic officials to accompany political leaders on visits, he has admitted that these works are not being done appropriately, they said.
“During our visit to desilting works, we found that several nullahs are still filled with trash. If civic officials do not accompany us, to whom should we show the shoddiness in these works ” asked opposition leader Pravin Chheda.
