Nalinakshan upsets corporators

The issue was raised through a point of order by senior Congress corporator Annie Shekhar that when Nalinakshan had visited Ward A8217; last week, he did not intimate her and other corporators of the ward. Rather there were some non-government orgnanisations NGOs and Dignity Foundation representatives along, she alleged.

8220;It is we who roam in the ward areas and are aware of the problems people face. Nobody goes to NGOs with their problems. Does the commissioner not want to work along with us?8221; Shekhar asked.

Expressing solidarity with Shekhar, Samajwadi Party leader Yusuf Ibrahim said that corporators play a big role in providing civic amenities andignoring this section could be misread by people.

8220;Either the administration has purposely ignored us or fear that corporators from rival parties will expose the shortcomings in the ward,8221; Ibrahim said while his party colleague Yakub Memon alleged that NGOs and Dignitarians were being given preference while people8217;s representatives were being sidelined. 8220;What are the credentials of these NGOs? The municipal authorities are in direct contact with them. I know of Dignitarians who are taking their authorisation letters by the civic commissioner and collecting haftas.8221; Memon added, 8220;Some Dignitarians are showing off with their letters from one commissioner, but what about us who are each elected by 40-50,000 voters?8221;

Congress corporator Ravindra Pawar said it was a sad commentary on Nalinakshan, who at his first press-meet had announced that in his efforts to improve the conditions in the city he wanted to take along everyone including the corporators.

8220;Nalinakshan visited ward M8217; today but none ofthe local corporators including former mayor R T Kadam knew of his visit. Since this is his first visit to the ward, the commissioner should have at least met the local civic representatives for 5-10 minutes. Additional and deputy municipal commissioners who visit ward areas tag along NGOs and Dignitarians but do not attempt to contact the local corporators,8221; he said.

Congress corportor K A Bastiwala said that though it was not legally binding on authorities to meet local corporators they accompanied the commissioner during his visit as a matter of convention. 8220;The decision to appoint Dignitarians was taken without the sanction of the Standing Committee or the House. It was a creation of parallel corporators whom civic officials meet twice a week but have no time for local ward representatives,8221; rued Bastiwala.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Deo said Nalinakshan should back the corporators by conventions. 8220;If he wants to tone up the civic body he must consider the views of the corpotors. Thecommissioner should behave like a commissioner. He obviously does not have a magical wand with which he will change the city overnight,8221; he said.

Chairman Sada Sarvankar said the views of the standing committee and its expectations from the municipal commissioner would be conveyed to Nalinakshan.