‘Mayor is the ‘first servant’ of the city...’

 

* This day in the year 1952, the city’s first Mayor Barr S K Wankhede had appealed to all to set only one goal before them -- public service
 

By Kartik Lokhande
July 20 is an important date for Nagpur city. For, on this date in the year 1952, the city got its first Mayor after the municipal council got elevated to the status of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). As NMC celebrates 63rd year of that historic event on Monday, it is time to remind the city fathers about their responsibility, as outlined in simple words by the first Mayor Barrister S K Wankhede.
After the city municipal council got elevated to the status of Nagpur Municipal Corporation, the first meeting of the ‘elected, appointed, and selected councillors’ of the corporation was held on July 20 (Sunday), 1952 at 12 noon in Raje Raghujirao Bhonsle Nagar Bhavan. In the same meeting, the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Standing Committee and five consultative committees were elected. Then, there were a total of 57 members of NMC. At the outset, the Chairman of the meeting was elected. P C Sethi secured 31 votes and elected as Chairman of the meeting. G G Desai, Chief Executive Officer, announced the decision in this regard. 

Barr S K Wankhede

Later, election of Mayor was conducted. There was a contest between Barrister S K Wankhede, whose name was proposed by Bhojsingh Chaudhari and seconded by R L Satpute; and R F Chaudhari, whose name was proposed by G G Bhamburkar and seconded by Banwarilal Agrawal. Wankhede polled 33 votes and was elected as Mayor, while Chaudhari polled 24 votes. Similarly, there was a contest between Chhotalal Madhavji and G N Ghavghave in which Madhavji polled 30 votes and was declared elected as Deputy Mayor.
Soon after his name was announced as the first Mayor of NMC, Barr S K Wankhede putforth his views about the office of Mayor and the task ahead for generations of office-bearers to follow. The first and foremost thing he mentioned was that instead of being described as the ‘first citizen’, Mayor should be the ‘first servant’ of the city. As per the minutes of the meeting preserved by NMC, he made an important statement that should serve as guideline for all the Mayors and corporators to follow for years.
Wankhede had said, “Democracy survives on ‘give and take’ and once the verdict of the people is given, the two things or two ideologies end, and all parties have to work together for the common good of the people.” He appealed to the members present not to create differences on small matters and try to find out maximum ‘points of agreement’. Being the Mayor of the city, he made it clear that he was above ‘party politics, race, and religion’, and requested all to keep only one goal before them -- ‘public service and our duty’.
As NMC celebrates the 63rd year of this historic meeting when the city got its first Mayor, Nagpurians can expect the corporators, office-bearers, and officials of NMC to re-dedicate themselves to the broader vision outlined in his speech by the legendary Barr S K Wankhede.

Elections to committees and draw of lots Similarly, 10 members of Standing Committee were elected from among 20 contestants. The members elected to Standing Committee included P K Deshraj, S S Dandige, G G Bhamburkar, V Y Bhapkar, B K Takkamore, Lala Jainarayan, Banwarilal Agrawal, B M Gaikwad, R P Samarth, and Ahmad Khan Lal Khan.
Nine members each were elected to Public Works Committee, Public Health and Markets Committee, Education Committee, Hospital Committee, and Water Works Committee. Then also, there were invalid votes as some of the members had voted for more than nine candidates. In case of Education Committee, eight candidates secured maximum votes and were declared as elected. However, three candidates polled 24 votes each and thus the ninth member was elected from among them by draw of lots. In case of Water Works Committee also seven members got elected clearly. Two other members were elected from among three candidates, who polled 26 votes each, by draw of lots. 

(20-07-15) 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chanda boy Dr Vipin Itankar is UPSC topper in State

Image
12-06-14 * Efficiency and effectiveness are the keywords for the topper * Nagpur lads Aawesh Titarmare, Arpit Gudadhe, and Ankur Meshram also bring laurels to the region in UPSC examination results By Kartik Lokhande  “I am blessed. Vipin is extremely hard-working, dedicated and a confident guy I have ever met in my life. He was always at top since college days. I was confident that he would be in top ten in the UPSC examination as well.” (Centre) Dr Vipin Itankar, who secured 14th rank nationally and topped Maharashtra in UPSC Civil Services Examination-2013 results, celebrating with his family members in Chandigarh on Thursday. This is how Dr Shalini, wife of Dr Vipin Vithoba Itankar, reacted on learning that Vipin had emerged as the Maharashtra topper in Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’ over telephone from Chandigarh, where Vipin and Shalini work in Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32, both exp...
Read more

Hinganghat: Here rests the great surveyor of India...

Image
  By Kartik Lokhande  Often, the work of explorers lives on but they get buried in the history. This is exactly what has happened in case of Lt Col William Lambton. The man credited with initiating one of the greatest scientific activities in the world -- The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India -- lays buried at a place now known as ‘Kala Gota’ amid a crowded locality behind Bus Stand in the town of Hinganghat in Wardha district. Sadly, the memorial of this great surveyor, whose work led to measuring the highest point on Earth 50 years later, has become a victim of neglect. And, surprisingly, not many know about it and the great significance of Hinganghat in the landmark survey.  Lambton Memorial, known locally as 'Kala Gota' in Hinganghat. (Pic: Kartik Lokhande) Lt Col William Lambton The benchmark stone of Great Trigonometrical Survey, in the courtyard of a house behind Bus Stand in Hinganghat. (Pic by Kartik Lokhande) Lt Col Will...
Read more

Eknath Ranade, the man with ‘Rock’ solid determination

* November 2015 marks the culmination of birth centenary celebrations of Eknath Ranade, a son of Vidarbha who made it the cause of his life to realise the dream of Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanyakumari By Kartik Lokhande  It was 1962, a year that had stirred the atmosphere in the country owing to several factors including a war with China. In January 1963, India was to celebrate the birth centenary of Swami Vivekananda. In down south, in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, tension was in the air over Swami Vivekananda’s memorial. There were attempts by some to claim the Rock off the shores of Tamil Nadu where Vivekananda meditated. A firm leadership is required to navigate through little storms in the journey towards realisation of a goal. Eknath Ranade, a man born in village Timtala in Amravati district of Vidarbha region in Maharashtra, was destined to be that firm leader as far as Swami Vivekananda’s memorial at Kanyakumari. Born on November 19, 1914, Eknath Ranade was the ...
Read more