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Mumbai: BJP legislator Amit Satam on Saturday lashed at BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over corruption in the civic body’s standing committee. He threw a volley of questions on various schemes, decisions taken by the BMC alleging corruption.
“I wished healthy life for CM Minister Uddhav Thackeray. But he has to answer the public regarding the BMC’s functioning. Your standing committee is at the root cause of all corruption. I responsibly say that this corruption is of a whopping Rs 1.5 lakh crore. Every year, Rs 6,000 crore tenders are approved by the Standing committee and every scheme, the decision is marred with some irregularities, corruption,” Satam said.
Satam, legislator of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party pointed at failures of the BMC and said 30 per cent Covid-19 deaths are only in Maharashtra. “There was a corruption of Rs 3,000 crore in procuring bags to dispose of dead bodies. The work was given without tender. Michigan Engineers and Mhalsa companies are getting special treatment from the BMC officials. Why the issues are not discussed openly? But we would expose it,” Satam warned.
Denying charges by Shiv Sena that BJP too was involved in the corruption when both the parties were together in the BMC, Satam said the estranged partner is only responsible. “We are not a partner in crime with Shiv Sena because BJP never held any key position in the standing committee or the mayor’s post. Sena has sold Mumbai in the past 25 years,” he said.
Highlighting cost escalation of projects, the BJP leader asked why there was no discussion on these issues? “Many proposals are approved in haste so that they are not discussed. The Tab which was purchased for Rs 6,500 in 2015 is now being procured for Rs 20,000. The cost escalated from Rs 540 crore to Rs 1100 crore and it was approved immediately. Why there is a silence over the issue?” he asked.
Satam named Sena leader Yashwant Jadhav, BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and assistant municipal commissioner P. Velarasu responsible for many irregularities and corruption. He demanded an audit of their work.
