MBMC faces dissolution

MUMBAI, March 18: The dark clouds of dissolution hovering over the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Council MBMC have receded into the background ...

MUMBAI, March 18: The dark clouds of dissolution hovering over the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Council MBMC have receded into the background 8211; but it may be a temporary reprieve. Minister of State for Urban Development Ravindra Mane today told the legislative council that the state government would first give a hearing to the MBMC, currently reeling under charges of corruption and the indictment of a senior official by an enquiry committee. He, however, did not rule out the dissolution of the council.

Mane was replying to a question in the Legislative Council asked by Vyankappa Patki JD, Vasant Chavan Cong, Arvind Sawant Shiv Sena, Ashok Modak BJP, Prakash Jawdekar BJP and others about the show-cause notice issued by the state government to the MBMC in December 1997 asking why it should not be dissolved following charges of corruption.

In his written reply, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said that the MBMC had replied that the state government8217;s directives were not binding on it and also that ithad decided to conduct an inquiry into the cases involving the officers nailed by the Anti Corruption Bureau. Joshi said the government would give a hearing to the MBMC based on the principle of natural justice.

Earlier, councillors cutting across party lines in the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Council had demanded that the Jagtap report on corruption in the MBMC be made public. A three-member panel was set up to look into alleged involvement of a senior MBMC official in awarding contracts at higher rates for civil works including construction of roads, nullahs, schools and public health centres in Mira-Bhayander area. The contracts were awarded allegedly at a rate 150-300 per cent higher than the prevailing market rate.

The panel comprising N S Jagtap, Addl Collector, Thane, , chief officer of the council Kalyan Kelkar and R Lokhande planning official had submitted its report four months ago and held administrative officer Ajit Patil guilty of sanctioning the contracts. In a representation to the ChiefMinister, over 2,500 residents and councillors had demanded the panel report be made public.

Speaking to Express Newsline on Tuesday, Milan Mhatre, JD president Bhayander unit, said: 8220;The Jagtap report must be placed in the council and the erring officials punished,8221; he added. A senior councillor said, 8220;The council is in the red because of the corrupt practices of officials in connivance with councillors.8221;