Despite a large-scale scam in desilting works last year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has allotted the desilting contracts to the same tainted contractors, who were found guilty in the
Despite a large-scale scam in desilting works last year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has allotted the desilting contracts to the same tainted contractors, who were found guilty in the probe. Though corporators raised objections, four of the five nullah desilting proposals were cleared by the civic standing committee on Wednesday.
The BMC had tabled five desilting proposals of major and minor nullahs worth Rs 65 crore for approval before the standing committee. However, corporators took strong objections saying that it makes no sense to allot desilting works to contractors, who are already blacklisted.
Leader of Opposition Pravin Chheda from Congress said that while the BMC has taken action against the civic officials in the desilting scam, it has laid a red carpet for the tainted contractors. However, civic body defended the decision to allot desilting contracts to these contractors. Additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh said, “The BMC has completed the second phase of probe in the desilting scam. However, these contractors moved the court, which stayed the case. It helped contractors to participate in the bidding process and they were allotted desilting works since they fulfilled the criteria,” he said.
