Mayor grills civic administration over demolitions

Additional Municipal Commissioner Deepak Kapoor pointed out to the aggrieved corporators that the toilet blocks were illegal and were eating into the carriage width of a road passing through the slum.

The elected representatives, however, refused to buy the argument, arguing, “The road is used by the same people who have constructed the toilet blocks. They have not complained about any inconvenience”.

Tribhuvan pointed out to the meeting that the PMC had not provided sanitation facilities in the slum despite repeated demands and hence the slum dwellers were compelled to make their own arrangements.

Former mayor Shantilal Suratwala said “ We accept that these toilet blocks were illegal. But, why punish the poor alone? There are several illegal constructions in the city made by hotel owners and some other big shots.

First take action against them and then turn to the slum dwellers”.Mayor Andekar ruled that the administration stop taking action against illegal toilets in the slums where no sanitation facilities were provided by the PMC.

Earlier, replying to a query, Kapoor admitted that there was a shortage of Anti Rabies Vaccine (ARV) at the municipal hospitals. He said that he had held talks with authorities at the state health directorate and Haffkine Institute. A consignment of 500 ARVs would arrive very soon, he said.