MSEB turns down Mayor's plea

MSEB turns down Mayor's plea
K S Manojkumar

AURANGABAD, NOV 23: The ongoing confrontation between the MSEB and the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation took a ugly turn on Wednesday, when over seventy corporators of the corporation manhandled MSEB chief engineer, Vasant Tupekar, after he rudely turned down a plea by the Mayor, Dr Bhagwat Karad, to discuss terms of payment of electricity bill.

Tupekar had threatened to cut of power supply to the city's water lifting system, for non-payment of bills worth Rs one crore.

The police have registered a case of rioting against five corporators while a case has also been lodged against Tupekar, following a complaint filed by the Mayor in connection with the incident, which had threatened to blow up into a law and order situation yesterday.

Though the electricity tariff that MSEB levies on the water lifting system has always been a subject of hot debate between the AMC and the MSEB, this was the first time that the first citizen walked up all the way to the office of the MSEB to submit a memorandum.

However, Chief Engineer, Vasant Tupekar, failed to sense the situation, (there were over seventy corporators from different parties with the Mayor), and in spite of repeated pleas by Karad for a discussion, refused to budge and asked the Mayor to leave.

This was enough provocation for the corporators who almost pounced upon him. Had it not been for the police, it would have been impossible for Tupekar to escape unhurt in the incident.

As if in retaliation, MSEB employees soon took out a morcha, condemning the attack on Tupekar, and demanding immediate payment of arrears bills by the AMC. The atmosphere became surcharged, when the MSEB employees, who were actually on their way to the divisional commissioner's office, began to demonstrate, before the AMC gate, which fell in the way.

However, some intervention by senior Shiv Sena leader like Bandu Oak, ensured that the atmosphere calmed down.

Meanwhile, the corporators on Thursday were engaged in a marathon meeting to discuss future course of action. The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.