In a dramatic development, Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik has openly attacked Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) chief Chandrakant Dange expressing discontent with his autocratic style of functioning which according to him was posing a disastrous and negative effect on the ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
With more than 117 positive cases in the twin city, mainly Mira Road is turning into a hotspot for the deadly coronavirus. Accusing the civic administration for mismanagement, lack of co-ordination and shoddy preventive measures, Sarnaik alleged that the civic chief was keeping elected representatives in the dark before taking crucial decisions like total lockdown.
He also expressed concerns for the Muslim community who are likely to be inconvenienced during the holy month of Ramadan in the wake of complete lockdown. When contacted, Dange said, “The outbreak was being tackled as per government guidelines and the decision of extending the total lockdown was taken after consultations with office bearers including mayor, and deputy mayor. Imposing total lockdown was inevitable; however, efforts were on to fine-tune arrangements and mitigate hardships faced by citizens. Permissions are being given to allow vegetable and fruit vendor inside building premises with proper social distancing measures in place.”
Meanwhile, Sarnaiik has asked MBMC Mayor Jyotsna Hasnale to call a joint meeting comprising civic officials and corporators cutting across party lines to weed out the anomalies. The alarming spike in unlinked cases from new areas has become a major cause of worry for the civic administration, which claims to be on a combat mode to prevent the spread of the virus.
