Mumbai: Ashish Shelar demands white paper on water distribution, Metro delays

Ruling party MLA Ashish Shelar has demanded a white paper on uneven water supply and the effect on traffic and the lives of citizens due to delays in Metro work during a discussion over a proposed motion in the Assembly on Wednesday He also requested the state government to direct the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC to prepare a mega parking planA few years ago the BMC was in turmoil after demands were made for a probe into alleged road and nullah cleaning scams Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad accused the state government of controlling the corporation and only working to allot contracts to its friends She also mentioned an article published in midday on February 26 lsquo900 tenders worth Rs 150 cr in 10 daysrsquo where it was revealed that the civic body had hastily invited tenders for various works across different wards ahead of the pollsAshish Shelar PicSatej Shinde Varsha Gaikwad File picAtul KambleldquoWhy is there so much hurry ahead of the election Donrsquot the officials work during the whole yearrdquo she asked MLAs from the ruling party interrupted Gaikwad many times during her speech over the allegationsAlso Read Make report of probe into allegations against me public Exhome minister Anil DeshmukhLegislatorrsquos demandsIn the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday the ruling party proposed a motion thanking Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies for the work done in various cities including Mumbai While presenting this proposal Shelar criticised unequal water distribution across the city and suburbs and demanded a white paper on the matter within the next month The municipal corporation allotted contracts worth Rs 30000 crore in just five years to improve the water supply Rs 450 crore was spent on the consultant with assurance of 24hour water supply in two wards But it couldnrsquot even provide four hours of water to every house in the city he alleged He also stated that the Metro Line 3 work was delayed as the Maha Vikas Aghadi government had prevented work from being carried out on the Aarey car shed He claimed that this caused the projectrsquos cost to rise by Rs 10000 crore He requested a white paper on the rise in the expenditure carbon emissions from vehicles that plied the route during this period and the increase in pollution Speaking about the mega parking plan he said about 50 lakh vehicles ply city roads and they need parking facilitiesHe also demanded that the disparity in compensation for fishermen concerning the Coastal Road between Nariman Point and Worli be fixed by the BMC and the MSRDC for the portion between Bandra and Versova He said the fishermen in Bandra and Khar should be compensated based on the BMC formula onlyGaikwadrsquos allegationsGaikwad accused the state government of interfering in the working of the BMC ldquoBoth guardian ministers opened their offices in the BMC headquarters and the civic chief does not consider the opinions of MLAs of other parties amid the absence of corporators There has been no election for the past two yearsrdquo she saidGaikwad alleged that though the BJP was making allegations about the BMC now they were ruling partners in the civic body for 25 years She said that under the pretext of lsquodeep cleaningrsquo the BMC floated tenders for slum cleaning to select a lsquofavouritersquo contractor ldquoThe work was earlier given to selfhelp groups with a salary of R6000 per month per person Now the BMC is ready to award a contract worth R1200 crore for four years according to which a salary of R28213 will be given to workers Why is there so much disparityrdquo she askedShe also said that Shinde had given an assurance in the Assembly one and half years ago that he would concrete all roads in the city within six months but not more than five per cent of the work has been completed ldquoThe monsoon is near and citizens will face potholes once againrdquo she saidGaikwad also alleged that there were masslevel irregularities and the state government was working to award contracts to its friends ldquoThe development fund has been used like the party fund and allotted to only select MLAs Land parcels in Mulund Kurla Bandra Khar Dharavi Mahim and Mahalaxmi Racecourse have been gifted to contractors lsquofriendsrsquo It is a conspiracy to shift seven lakh of Dharavi residents who need homes in Dharavi onlyrdquo she alleged At least 25 MLAs from the ruling and Opposition parties took part in the discussion