Woman Mayor to take ‘war’ to Sonia

Some decisions taken by her after she became the first elected woman Mayor were all torpedoed by the Urban Development Ministry headed by Nav Prabhat — a powerful minister in Chief Minister Narain Dutt Tiwari’s ministry — on the pretext of following rules and bylaws. Incidentally, Prabhat happens to be a close relative of the CM.

Mayor Sharma and her team of councillors had decided to extend the existing Municipal Corporation building at a cost of more than Rs 50 lakhs. Tenders to build the new blocks were also invited but Nav Prabhat ordered his officials to stop the process as it was violative of ‘‘some rules and regulations’’.

Terming this as interference, Sharma calls it a gross joke on the spirit of 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments which bestow certain powers to the elected members of the Panchayati Raj and local bodies. She says she is ready to take the ‘‘war’’ to the party president Sonia Gandhi’s doorstep for justice.

Earlier, Prabhat had ordered the cancellation of two tenders floated by the Municipal Corporation to build two shopping complexes on the pretext that they did not follow rules. Fresh tenders were invited and in the process, the department — in a bid to show the Mayor in a poor light — announced that the fresh tenders saved more than Rs 18 lakh for the Corporation.

‘‘What is the harm in spending a little more for better quality than spending less and then complaining forever. The bureaucrats can come up with hundreds of rules and regulations to scuttle projects which aim at improving civic amenities in Doon valley,’’ says Sharma.

It isn’t just the Corporation matters where the Minister has tried ‘‘to show the Mayor her place’’. Notices were issued to the Mayor for building an extra bathroom for visitors without taking prior permission of the concerned authority at her residence. Urban Development Minister Nav Parbhat has said that everything was done as per the law and no violation of rules and bylaws would be permitted.

‘‘Nobody is scrutinising the decisions taken by the ministers,’’ retorts Manorama. Interestingly, the bureaucracy and Opposition councilors are the happiest people in Dehra Dun. Opposition councilors are making life hell for the Mayor by frequently complaining to the minister who is all ears for them. The bureaucracy, knowing its interests well, too has sided with the more powerful of the two leaving the first woman Mayor helpless and complaining.