PUNE, April 21: Congress corporator Nitin Jagtap today created a sensation during the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) general body meeting by accusing two officials from the water supply department of indulging in rampant corruption.Jagtap dared the municipal administration to file a defamation suit against him for making the allegation even as civic water supply department chief Ramesh Ghodke accompanied by all senior officials stunned the meeting by staging a walkout in protest.Cutting across party lines, the irked elected representatives lodged a strong protest against Ghodke and the civic officials for staging a walk-out instead of replying to the charges levelled by Jagtap. The corporators even contemplated suspending Ghodke at one stage of the meeting if he refused to come back and satisfy their queries.``They cannot run away from the meeting in this manner. It has become a habit of the officers to boycott the civic meetings whenever they are criticised,'' corporator Ramdas Pawar said pointing out to the Additional Municipal Commissioner Deepak Kapoor that the elected members had every right to seek an explanation from the officials on any civic issue.Mayor Vatsala Andekar felt that the officers had indeed insulted her and the general body by staging a walk out and directed Kapoor to summon the officers at the meeting. ``If the officials do not return at the meeting hall there is no use in holding this chair,'' Mayor said warning that she would resign from the post.The issue was raised at the floor during the point of information session by Neela Kadam, Shiva Mantri, Ananta Bhoj, Sham Satpute, Vilas Wadekar and Nilesh Nikam, who sought an explanation over the inadequate water supply in Karve road area, Erandwane, Dapodi and other parts of the city.Jagtap charged that the deputy city engineer (water supply) K P Ankolekar and his assistant Tandale were indulging in corrupt practices while issuing new water connections to commercial complexes.The Congress corporator said he could procure affidavits from the builders who were forced to pay bribes to these two officials. ``I would resign if I fail to prove the charges,'' he added.While the charges were being levelled, Ghodke and the civic officials staged a walk-out. Opposition leader Suhas Kulkarni, Congress party leader Ulhas Dhole Patil, PVA leader Chandrakant Chhajed, former deputy mayor Hiraman Shinde rushed to the dias and demanded immediate suspension of Ghodke.``They can not hold Puneites to ransom by indulging in such union activities,'' they said in chorus, pointing out to Kapoor that there was no need for the officials to boycott the meeting. Ghodke and the other civic officials returned to the meeting hall following a directive from Kapoor.Kapoor, however, urged the Mayor to ensure that the officers be spared of insulting remarks from the corporators during the meeting, since they were ready to clarify any query on the water supply situation in the interest of the citizens.
