City fathers heap praise on Mundhe, seek respect
| Date :24-Jun-2020 |
Staff Reporter :
Even as city fathers expressed reservation against Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe for not seeking their co-operation in COVID-19 peak phase, they unanimously appreciated the dynamism and work done by him that ensured Nagpur remained a safe zone. Corporators only grouse was that Municipal Commissioner did not think it fit to even once communicate or take them on board while carrying out various exercise after novel coronavirus was declared as pandemic. The development of Tuesday happened at the general body meeting of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) that reconvened at Suresh Bhat auditorium, Reshimbagh.
A posse of policemen deployed outside Suresh Bhat auditorium, the venue of general body meeting of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Tuesday. (Pic by Satish Raut)
Putting to rest all speculations, Municipal Commissioner attended the house. In aftermath of Saturday’s development there were questions lingering in everyone's mind about outcome of today's meeting. On Saturday Mundhe had moved out of in midst of meeting that was later adjourned by Mayor Sandip Joshi till Tuesday. At the outset, Harish Gwalbanshi, Congress corporator, clarified about his remarks that was cited as offensive.
Gwalbanshi said his remark was no way insulting and said they were similar to one expressed while welcoming Mundhe at his first meeting of NMC house on February 20. That time only if it was pointed out to me that no personal remarks are to be made then perhaps the misunderstanding that happened at Saturday meeting could have been avoided. But adding further, Gwalbanshi wondered "if the remarks while welcoming Mundhe was welcomed then how could a similar statement to record dissent about some actions of Municipal Commissioner can be termed as offensive". As the house meeting progressed one witnessed sparring between Opposition and Ruling party senior members about procedures about adjournment motions, how many of them to adopted, bye-laws and status of house and rights of members. Mayor himself later put a reference wanting to know from statue book's when can a member seek Point of Order and Point of Information and its procedure.
The matter was simple as Mayor wanted it on record of house since Municipal Commissioner during last meeting was not receptive when senior member Dayashankar Tiwari interrupted former and sought Point of Information. Ranjana Lade, Municipal Secretary, reading from the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act read out the provisions that granted liberty to members of House to seek either of two and that time if any officer is making any statement has to stop and sit down. After the haggling over adjournment motion, Mayor put it to vote and house approved with majority that both notices be clubbed paving way for discussion.
Initiating the discussion, Nitin Sathawne, Congress narrated the sad experiences he faced due to longest ever and biggest even containment exercise on part of NMC. Despite taking lead and assisting civic officials to enforce containment zone, convincing people to volunteer for quarantine, when one tried to seek answers and assert control NMC officials took it personally and slapped and FIR. Sathawne said he wanted to take his wife to hospital as she was expecting a child and yet policemen deployed at picket point in Satranjipura locality refused citing orders from Municipal Commissioner. Doesn't medical emergency qualify for prompt response from administration and who would have been responsible in case something amiss had occurred that day.
The corporator house too was in containment zone and he added that after much haggling he was allowed to take his wife to hospital where she later delivered a healthy child. But it was a shocker when on orders of Municipal Commissioner an FIR was lodged and that too after co-operating with civic machinery and helping them during their worst time. This is simply unfair and insulting, Sathawne said while remaining firm on his adjournment motion while party colleagues were averse to crticising Mundhe. Thereafter several members spoke about their experiences and a common thread of their speeches was that FIR against fellow corporator be withdrawn.
They also underscored efforts taken by Mundhe in capacity as Municipal Commissioner in containment of spread of COVID-19 in city. But they were unanimous in putting across their sentiments at being neglected by Municipal Commissioner and freezing development works. BJP corporators sided with Mayor and said though he was taken positive stance the continued antagonistic style of functioning of Municipal Commissioner is unwarranted. Ultimately the citizens are watching the entire show and a feeling is developed that all corporators are against Municipal Commissioner and creating hurdles in his way.
On the contrary, the corporators who are at the receiving end as Mundhe style of functioning is not in terms with democratic conventions. Avinash Thakre, the last speaker of today and a senior member of BJP, expressed anguish that when administration and corporators should have been working together to fight against COVID-19 we are engaged in discussing who is right and who is wrong. If that is not enough whenever history would be written the current phase would paint it was darkest phase as while the novel coronavirus was at its peak the city fathers and administration were engaged in slug fest. The situation has come to sorry state due to lack of communication.
Earlier, Yashshri Nandanwar also said a better understanding of each other position would have avoided this friction, and also claimed there was no clarity in orders issued by Municipal Commissioner. Parinita Fuke, BJP corporator, sought to know from administration whether all the protocols, SoPs and directives issued by ICMR, Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention were followed in toto or not. The house was adjourned for the day and would reconvene on Wednesday at 12 noon.
