Crisis in PCMC: ruling party defies chief secy order to hold special meet

“On April 3,the chief secretary had,via video-conferencing,directed the chiefs of all civic bodies in the state to hold a special general body meeting to discuss illegal constructions by requesting the respective mayors. Therefore,we requested the mayor to direct holding of such a meeting,but the mayor has till now refused to hold the meeting,” said Municipal Commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi.

He said Banthia’s directive had come in the wake of the Mumbra building collapse. “The chief secretary had directed that an open discussion be held on illegal constructions,especially the dangerous ones,and a policy framed by the civic bodies. The corporators were to be made aware of the gravity of the situation,” Pardeshi said,adding that his administration was trying to convince the mayor to hold the meeting in view of the seriousness of the matter.

When contacted,Mayor Mohini Lande said,“There was no need to hold such a meeting. What is the need for such a meeting when no decision is going to be taken?” The mayor said the state government was already considering regularising some of the structures. Therefore,she said,why not wait for the government to act?

The mayor,who belongs to the NCP,is the presiding officer of the civic general body meeting.

“We cannot hold the meeting until the mayor directs so since the Act confers the power on her to convene such a meeting,” said Pardeshi. Senior civic officials said if no special meeting was convened in the next few days,the PCMC administration would send a report to the state government,which might take a “stern view” of the defiance.

Shiv Sena leader in the House Shrirang Barne said his party was in favour of holding the special meeting if the state government had directed to do so. “But it is shocking that NCP,which rules both in state and in PCMC,is refusing to following the directives of the government. This shows how serious is NCP when it comes to matters involving public interest. There is nothing wrong in holding the special meeting in view of what happened in Thane,” he said.

The civic general body meeting was adjourned on Saturday also because the corporators protested against the civic administration’s move to issue notices to illegal structures in residential areas.

In view of the recent building collapse at Udyognagar in Chinchwad,the civic chief said,it was necessary to hold meetings on illegal constructions but the corporators were not allowing them. He said latest notices about B-3 constructions — those raised by citizens for their own use or to rent out — had been taken to avoid repeat of untoward incidents. “We have decided the priority list. We want to inform the corporators and hold an open discussion. But that is not happening,” he said.