In a span of less than ten years, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) is all set to get its tenth civic chief, this time in the form of Dilip Dhole who has been promoted to the top post from his existing position of additional municipal commissioner.
Although transfer orders were issued on Tuesday, Dhole who is a non IAS officer is expected to take over the reins of the administration from IAS officer Dr. Vijay Rathod on Thursday. Like other IAS officers, Dr. Rathod’s tenure lasted not more than eight months. The untimely transfers have exposed the apathy of the state government authorities, which has reduced the municipal commissioner’s post to a game of musical chairs.
Dilip Dhole’s elevation to the top post is due to his proximity to a senior leader and minister who holds an important portfolio in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. Notably, Dr. Rathod had been successful in containing the pandemic at a time when the coronagraph of the twin-city had been witnessing a frightening upward trend due to its proximity to Mumbai.
Dr. Rathod’s transfer has raised many eyebrows as the pandemic has once again raised its ugly head with an alarming spurt in cases for the past more than ten days. Moreover, Dr. Rathod had trained his attention on the successful coverage of the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination drive.
It may be recalled that Vikram Kumar, became the first regular direct IAS officer to take over the reins of the municipal corporation in 2011, followed by Suresh Kakani, Subhash Laakhe, Dr. Naresh Gite, B.G. Pawar and C.K. Dange.
However, thanks to the political tug-of-war coupled by a pick-and-choose policy adopted by the urban development department, none of these upright IAS officers were given an opportunity of completing their terms under the garb of routine transfers, this despite their unblemished track record and dedicated efforts for the all-round development of the twin-city.
