BJP alleges MVA and BMC of involvement in housing scam meant for the sanitary workers

@nag228

Mumbai: Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the ruling Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of being involved in the housing scam of Rs 1,844 crores the houses which were supposed to be given to the sanitary workers of the BMC at no cost under the under the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Shramsafalya Awas Yojana (BASAY). Raising this issue BJP leaders have hinted to raise the issue with Maharashtra Chief Minister, ministry of urban development and if needed they will move the court.

Speaking to the media here on Saturday, BJP group leader in BMC, Prabhakar Shinde said the sanitary workers who gave their entire life for cleaning our city should at least get a decent house to stay. Due to the unique work and work environment, these workers have to face many problems like health, yet they do not care about their health and spend their lives in keeping Mumbai city clean and healthy.

In order to make their life easier, the state government had set out the mandate for free houses for sanitation workers under Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Shramsafalya Awas Yojana and had made a provision of free houses for these workers.

The BJP leaders have alleged that with the involvement of the ruling Shiv Sena party, BMC officials have come up with a plan to provide houses only till the service period of these workers under the scheme named Aashray Yojana.

BJP corporator, Vinod Mishra has termed the Aashray Yojana as giving shelter to corruption. On the basis of the built and design turnkey project of 11 packets in Mumbai and suburbs, tender was floated by BMC in September 2019. That tender was cancelled by the administration in February 2020. However, all means of communication were shut down due to declaration of lockdown by the government due to the pandemic declared in Maharashtra. On March 28, 2020, the corporation had uploaded the tender with new conditions on its website.

Mishra questioned what was the hurry for the tender to be published on the BMC portal, when the entire city, state, nation and world was tackling the pandemic?

Mishra further added, when the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak in April and common Mumbaikars were losing their lives due to lack of oxygen, beds and other live saving medicines, at that time on 26 April 2021, Additional Commissioner Project in BMC ordered the department to negotiate with the contractor Shivona Corporation.

BJP leaders raised couple of questions and they wanted BMC to answer those questions – When the corporation Shivona corporation has bid for Rs. 3,793.89 and 40837sq mtrs, yet why the same firm was given to the single bidder by the Municipal Administration at the rate of 52445 sq. mtrs, due to which the Mumbai Municipal Corporation suffered a loss of 805.22 crores?

Six bidders were paid 5 percent only on submission of the plan, while two groups were to be paid 1 percent after the plan was passed even after the rate was reduced, which is discrimination in DL Article 43 of the Constitution and the Indian Agreement Act of 1872. 

BJP group leader Prabhakar Shinde said,” they will take this issue to the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray, Urban Development Minister, Eknath Shinde, Mayor and Chief secretary Maharashtra Government to stop the looting of the housing scheme worth Rs 1,844 crores. If the issue is not taken seriously then we will definitely move to court for the justice of sanitary workers.”

“Investigations will have to be conducted as to how the BMC has awarded the tender to Shivona Corporation when it’s not financially capable, then too a tender worth Rs 1400 cr was given to Shivona corporation,” said Vinod Mishra, BJP corporator.