Will Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) appoint distinguished citizens with a record of social service, members representing local NGO’s and social organizations on ward committee panels (Prabhaag Samithi) ?
The Answer is no !!! why ? Well out of all the Municipal Corporations Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation has been the worst performer and implementer of Government schemes and provisions, Despite recent reports that the civic administration has woken up from it’s slumber and has directed all ward committee chiefs to initiate process towards nominating active citizens on ward panels. Nothing concrete has been still done. It’s to be noted that Aimed at increasing the active participation of citizens in the transparent functioning of civic bodies, the state government authorities have made provisions to appoint distinguished citizens with a record of social service, members representing local NGO’s and social organizations on ward committee panels (Prabhaag Samithi) and under the relevant sections of the BPMC Act, it is the duty of the civic administration to ensure that real citizen activists be on board of the ward panels.
Why will it not be a fair selection even if it sees the light of the day ? Earlier Mira Bhayandar was a strong hold of the CONGRESS – NCP and most of the Ward Chiefs were those who favor their works and businesses, after the fall of the NCP CONGRESS combine in the elections and loss of the Mayor post till now held by either Congress or NCP it was believed that BJP Sena Combine might do a good job for Citizens but till now nothing concrete has been seen, BJP has triumphed and even holds the post of the Mayor, but has anything changed in terms of behavior of MBMC work culture ? No.
As of Today there is a Property tax outstanding amount of Rs.54 crores approximately due by Builders and Developers in Mira Bhayandar pending from past few years, surprisingly the list also includes “Seven eleven Construction Company” apparently a company allegedly owned by the BJP MLA Mr.Narendra Mehta. Despite of giving the list of Property tax defaulters to the MBMC Commissioner Mr.Achyut Hange no action is taken against such Builders and Developers. Its a vice-a-versa case when in it comes to common Citizens, Water connections of Societies have been disconnected by Property tax Department staff stating that Current Property Tax dues are outstanding, And when the Citizens oppose this they are threatened by the MBMC officials who visit for disconnecting the water connections. So a common Citizen has to suffer but Politicians, Builders and Developers go scot-free, the law is only for Common Citizens and not these people.
Why will MBMC not have a transparent and fair representation of distinguished citizens with a record of social service ? Well, there are lot of works which happen through the Prabhag Samitis which include raising of requests for works to be carried out in the wards after which process of tendering starts, if Citizens with a Clean record who are non corrupt will be part of these Prabhag Samitis it will be difficult for Corporator’s , MLA’s and MP’s who have their say in these works for their own benefit, as every 2nd Corporator or MLA has a conflict of interest, as they double up as Contractors aswell !!! most of them have companies doing construction or Infrastructure works so the requests for works in wards are raised by them, tenders are floated and allotted also to their companies only.If Citizens will be part of such committees these irregularities will come out in open… which will be disastrous for their business.
If you take out records of Gutter repair ,Road repair or even works of MLA or MP fund either they are themselves the contractors with tenders allotted to companies owned by either their immediate relatives or their sleuths owning them where indirectly they are the owners of such companies or if they do not win the tender these Contractors threaten the actual tender winner and become a subcontractor of them and take up these jobs, most of the times Road repair and Gutter works are repeatedly done in a shoddy manner to re do the same work within a years time thus profits shower on such Contractors even the PWD department is hand in glow with such Contractors as there is fixed percentage behind every tender which gets distributed among all concerned departments which handle the contract from tendering process to making of payments, as known by our sources the current percentage stands at 15% which goes in distribution by every contractor in MBMC, such issues will get highlighted which the MBMC officials would not like to come in open.
Thus the selection of distinguished citizens with a record of social service, members representing local NGO’s and social organizations on ward committee panels (Prabhaag Samithi) seems very difficult and even if few who are really good get selected in the nomination process they will be mere puppets who will not be allowed to participate and have a say in issues which really matter to the citizens.
