Assembly Budget Session: BMC To Face Heat In House With 30 Questions Lined Up

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) is likely to come under intense scrutiny during the forthcoming Budget Session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, with the Opposition preparing to highlight the corporation over multiple issues, including slaughterhouse, water contamination, sewage and stray dogs.

According to officials, more than 30 questions raised by legislators from both the BJP and Congress have been directed at the BMC, ranging from slaughterhouse operations to basic civic services, to lead a stormy session ahead. Notably, this is the highest number of Assembly questions related to the BMC in recent years.

The civic body has been asked to submit detailed replies by February 12, leaving officials with just two days to finalize and dispatch the information.

With the Assembly session beginning on February 16, discussions on urban administration issues are scheduled for February 20. In preparation, officials at the BMC headquarters have been busy compiling files and drafting responses. BMC senior officials said that while most information was prepared last week, final replies are now being sent to the government.

Slaughterhouse issue likely to spark major debate

The maximum number of starred questions pertain to the BMC slaughterhouse, making it a key flashpoint in the session. Leader of Opposition in Assembly Umang Singhar has sought details on investigations into alleged beef transportation in Bhopal. Congress MLA Arif Masood has questioned the operation of the slaughterhouse, while Hemant Satyadev Katare has raised issues related to alleged slaughter of cattle and meat transportation. Devendra Patel has demanded information on slaughterhouses being run under the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model. Officials admit that questions linked to the slaughterhouse are causing the most concern within the civic body.

Civic services under scanner

Apart from the slaughterhouse controversy, several basic civic issues are set to be debated on the Assembly floor. Nitendra Brijendra Singh Rathore has raised questions about water testing laboratories, while Ajay Arjun Singh has sought details on investigations into contaminated drinking water. Atif Arif Akeel has questioned the repair and maintenance of street lights in the capital.

Prohibitory orders imposed

Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar has imposed prohibitory orders in areas surrounding the Legislative Assembly in view of the Ninth Session of the 16th Assembly, scheduled from February 16 to March 6.

The order has been issued under Section 163 of BNS citing possibilities that protests, demonstrations and rallies by various organisations and political parties during the session could disrupt legislative proceedings and pose risks to public peace, law and order and security.

Under the restrictions, assembly of five or more persons at public places within the notified areas has been banned. Organising or participating in rallies, demonstrations or public meetings has been prohibited.

AMRUT 2.0, Sambal & stray dogs

Further, Bhagwandas Sabnani has sought information on water and sewer lines under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, Sunil Uikey has raised the Sambal scheme scam issue, Abhilash Pandey has questioned measures to control stray dogs, and Madhu Bhagat has flagged illegal encroachments at Narela.