Mayor embarrassed by partymen

VADODARA, May 20: Mayor Bharati Vyas faced embarrassing moments on Wednesday when councillors of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party BJP ...

VADODARA, May 20: Mayor Bharati Vyas faced embarrassing moments on Wednesday when councillors of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party BJP in the Vadodara Municipal Corporation VMC blamed the administration for not taking up pre-monsoon cleaning of storm water drains and not maintaining drainage lines.

The onslaught on the administration was led by Water Works Committee chairman Pandu Yadav who alleged that residents of several societies in Warasia had started vacating their houses as the sewage was being discharged in the open. He, however, did not specify where the sewage came from.

Alleging that the zonal system had failed to yield results, ruling party councillor Indravadan Modi regretted that the storm water drains from Lad Bhavan to Sardar Patel Estate have not been cleaned so far.

Senior BJP councillor Magan Desai demanded action in connection with release of sewage in storm water drains on the Jawaharlal Nehru Marg up to the Manjalpur main road. Even today, sewage is heaped in the open near the Akashganga Society in the southern part of the city, he said.

When the Mayor tried to pacify councillors by saying that the VMC would complete drainage lines in 40 per cent of the city within one-and-a-half years, Lokshahi Morcha councillor Chandrakant Shrivastava urged her not to mislead the House.

Has the VMC made any budgetary provisions for this work, Shrivastava questioned, adding that on paper promises would not help as a sum of at least Rs 400 crore would be required for the drainage lines.

He added that the roads laid in various parts of the city would suffer as there was no adequate storm water drain facility.

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Congress councillor Geeta Desai said certain storm water drains in her ward were encroached upon, and that the administration was delaying work on laying the new water pipeline in Bhandwada. Stating that the Masia storm water drain has not been cleaned so far, former Deputy Mayor Chirag Zhaveri also warned the House that the roads would be damaged during the monsoon. He asked the administration to concentrate on quality rather than quantity.

Opposition leader in the VMC Kanchanbhai Parmar berated the administration for not having replied to queries he had raised in 1996.

BJP councillor Yogendra Sukhadia demanded that during the clean-up campaign beginning Thursday, the VMC should make surprise visits at Tiwada in Wadi where almirahs are made in the open. He said although the houses are also used, they pay taxes for residential use.

Zhaveri alleged that Deputy Mayor Dinesh Choksi had threatened an officer with suspension if a proper driver was not given. The issue of printing Pokhran on invitation cards was also discussed.