Staff Reporter
As
expected, the issue of irregularities in implementation of Gharkul
Yojana in Ashi Nagar Zone came up for discussion during general body
meeting of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Saturday. As the
officials concerned failed to give satisfactory answers, Mayor Praveen
Datke directed the Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar to conduct a
thorough probe into the matter and submit report within 15 days.
Soon
after condolence resolution, and a resolution congratulating
dignitaries and students from the city for respective achievements, NMC
general body meeting started with discussion on Gharkul Yojana. Sandeep
Sahare raised the issue and alleged that cheques and proposals for
allotment that had come through Sahara Bahu-uddeshiya Sanstha had
‘bogus’ signatures of officials. However, he alleged, though there were
35 such cases, FIR was lodged concerning only 17 cases. He cornered
Harish Raut, Assistant Commissioner, over the issue. In his reply to
queries of Sahare, Raut informed the House that ‘bogus’ BPL certificates
were attached in 35 cases and proposals bore ‘forged’ signatures of
authorities concerned in 18 cases. In April, he said, as scrutiny
revealed irregularities in 17 cases only, FIR was lodged in these many
cases.
Not satisfied with reply, Sahare went on to ask why another
complaint was not lodged since April till date when irregularities in
other cases also came to fore. Praveen Datke, Mayor, intervened and
directed Shravan Hardikar, Municipal Commissioner, to conduct a thorough
probe into the matter and submit a report within 15 days. He asked
Hardikar not to spare any one irrespective of his or her position in the
administration. He also appealed to Sahare and other corporators to
submit to Municipal Commissioner any relevant documents. “If required,
the Assistant Commissioner will be sent on forced leave. Municipal
Commissioner should take possession of all records in this regard from
Assistant Commissioner,” he said.
NMC to urge State to frame
guidelines on hookah parlours During
question hour, BJP corporator Prakash Totwani raised the issue of
hookah parlours and said that these joints were spoling the younger
generation by making them addicts. He expressed surprise over NMC Health
Department’s reply that it was not empowered to take action against
hookah parlours.
Harish Dubey, Secretary of NMC, informed the House
that NMC had no powers to permit such parlours or to act against these.
As such, he added, NMC had ‘no information’ about even the number of
hookah parlours in the city. Totwani wondered how NMC issued forms to
even paan kiosk owners for registration for Local Body Tax (LBT) but
left out hookah parlours from this process. He brought it to the notice
of the House that minor girls and boys were visiting hookah parlours and
getting addicts. “Is it not NMC’s moral responsibility to urge the
Government to frame guidelines on hookah parlours and empower local
bodies to act against this menace?” he asked.
Totwani got support
from Kamil Ansari and others, following which the Mayor gave his ruling.
“NMC shall request the State Government to frame guidelines on hookah
parlours, and also spell out clearly the role of local bodies in this
regard,” he said.
Fill up posts of Objection
Officers soon: Mayor
Following
a discussion on non-printing of ‘Jamabandi’ (land record) in past few
years, officials concerned not posting the tax paid by property owners,
and lack of independent Objection Officers to deal with tax-related
objections, Praveen Datke asked the administration to initiate the
process for filling up the posts of Objection Officers soon.
Raju
Nagulwar raised the issues. He alleged that ‘Jamabandi’ receipts were
not printed for past few years. Besides, the officials concerned had not
posted the tax paid by property owners. As a result, he alleged, many
property owners were receiving tax demands with ‘arrears’ though they
had cleared the previous tax. Prakash Gajbhiye, Dayashankar Tiwari also
participated in the discussion.
In his reply, Municipal Commissioner
said that a property owner was entitled to get ‘no dues certificate’
even if tax posting was not done. As far as printing of ‘Jamabandi’
receipts was concerned, it was done regularly since 1910-11 till
2013-14, barring six years. The receipts for the year 2014-15 will be
printed by the end of this year once the work of printing of property
tax demands is over, he added. Mayor directed the administration to
initiate proceedings for filling up posts of Objection Officers. At
present, Executive Engineers are entrusted with the task of acting as
Objection Officers but they are finding it difficult to devote time due
to their regular responsibilities.
(20-06-15)
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