Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Mayor Malti Rai and Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) chairman Kishan Suryavanshi came face to face during BMC Parishad (council) meeting on Thursday on the ruling issue for reply on important topics like public interest issues during call attention motion.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Shabista Zaki raised the issue of scam of crores of rupees in Sambal Yojana and Rs 1 crore fine imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) at BMC over restaurant construction in catchment of Upper Lake.
Chairman Kishan Suryavanshi asked Mayor Malti Rai to reply as it was a public interest issue. But the mayor passed the buck to Mayor–in-Council (MiC) to reply. BMC chairman repeatedly asked her to reply on ground that it was a public interest issue so as per ruling, the mayor has to reply. But the mayor refused to do so and ultimately the BMC chairman had to adjourn the meeting for half -an- hour.
BMC chairman Kishan Suryavanshi said, ‘As per ruling, it is the mayor who is supposed to reply and not the Mayor-in-Council. Even I personally tried to convince her but she did not turn up. So ultimately I had to make arrangement to provide reply in writing to the Leader of Opposition.’
LoP Shabista Zaki said, “MiC has given me a reply in writing and as per the reply, seven cases are in zone -9 while 63 cases are in zone -16 and 17 cases are in zone-19. Three cases are in zone -20. They are suspected cases. Thirty seven cases are being examined. But I have details from the BMC portal and according to it, investigation is completed in 606 cases so it shows that BMC has paid the amount. Around 5,378 cases of Sambal Yojana were forwarded for investigation.’ Mayor Malti Rai said, ‘Payment has not been made into any account. BMC will investigate. MiC member will reply to it.’ The payments have been accepted from the IDs of the then zonal officers of Zone No. 3, 9,11,16,19 and 20. Zone number 16 has maximum 90 files in this. All seven computer operators of the planning cell have been removed and notices have been issued to the then zone 6 officers. So far, 133 such files of zone-6 have been detected in which payment has been made in an illegal way. Some more files are under investigation. In Sambal Yojana, there is a rule of giving Rs 2 lakh in case of normal death and Rs 4 lakh in case of accidental death and Rs 5k for funeral assistance.
BJP corporator (ward 12)
Devendra Bhargava boycotted the parishad meeting as a mark of protest saying, ‘Pathetic condition of corporators in Bhopal as BMC officials are not taking them seriously. BCLL bus stop was constructed in the ward. But some elements dismantled it stating it is a private land. I complained to the BMC officials but none of them turned up. Secondly, I raised the issue of sub-standard construction of nullah but no BMC officials took it seriously.’ BMC chairman Kishan Suryavanshi said, “A committee comprising of Devendra Bhargava and BMC’s additional commissioner MiC Ashok Vani will probe the matter.
Mayor Malti Rai said, ‘We had telephonic conversation five days ago. I had instructed BMC officials but later on, the concerned corporator did not communicate his status so I took it for granted that the issue must have been settled. In fact, the corporator himself had pointed out the spot but later on it came to be a private land.’
