According to reliable sources, Vaidya has been transferred as the assistant municipal commissioner (land and estates wing). N D Swanat who was heading the land and estates department has been promoted to the post of special assistant municipal commissioner (AMC).

The Municipal Commissioner had declared 1997-98 financial year as the ``year of recovery''. However, except for the civic octroi department the two other revenue wings of the corporation water and property tax collection department, failed to recover the outstanding tax dues.

According to sources, over Rs 70 crore are outstanding by way of water tax dues while Rs 21 crore property tax dues remain to be recovered. With the experiment of entrusting additional municipal commissioner Deepak Kapoor thecharge of octroi collection proving successful, Jha has decided to take up the property tax collection work himself.

Sources said that a major reshuffle in the civic health department and water supply department is also on cards. Jha has already directed Kapoor to take charge of the health department in absence of Dr Anil Ravetkar who is on leave.

Sawant has taken over the charge of the coveted post of special AMC, which had fallen vacant following the retirement of Manohar Bhate. However, considering Bhate's expertise in dealing with land acquisition cases, the PMC has entered into a contract with the retired officer and has entrusted him the task of land acquisition in the 38 fringe villages.