Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has ridiculed the measures like washing roads in Mumbai and spraying water to get rid of air pollution in Mumbai and criticized the government under CM Eknath Shinde for its 'contractor driven' responses. He also claimed credit for the 'Diwali Bonus' announced for the BEST workers saying that the decision was taken within 12 hours after he raised the issue through social media posts.
The air quality of Mumbai is "terrible" and multiple guidelines issued by the BMC since January this year in connection with pollution have not been followed, he alleged. He also appealed people to send photographs of violations to the BMC and its chief, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader added.
"We had worked a lot on the environment. But, who is the environment minister in the current government?" Aaditya Thackeray, who worked as the environment minister in Uddhav Thackeray government, asked and said that the real cause is numerous unregulated construction sites in the city.
"The government should ask the private developers to stop their work, instead of regulating the public works," Thackeray said. He also took a potshot at guardian minister for Mumbai suburban district Mangalprabhat Lodha and added, "but how would this happen when a developer has become a guardian minister."
Contractors who are yet to start cement concretisation work must be blacklisted, probed: Aaditya
The former minister also said that four contractors who are yet to start cement concretisation work on Mumbai's roads must be blacklisted and probed.
He alleged Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde was initially hesitant to sign the termination order of ₹1600 crore road cement concretisation work given to a contractor but did so late at night.
"For the last 11 months, I have been saying this work is a scam," the MLA from Worli in Mumbai said.
The contract given to five entities was "bogus tendering" on which he had spoken in the past, Mr. Thackeray said, adding "it is an open and shut case of corruption".
Bonus announced for BMC, BEST staffers
The Shinde government had forgotten to give bonus to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking staffers but announced a bonus of ₹26,000 just six to seven hours after he put out a message on social media, Thackeray claimed.
"Every time there is terrible air quality, the BMC comes together and tries to help a new contractor," Mr. Thackeray said and alleged the CM is pushing his illegal contractor friends.
Shinde is busy trying to save his government and no is listening to the citizens of the state, he added.
