ALMs will check BMC's claim of losing lakhs over hawkers

Citizen groups in Bandra, Khar, Oshiwara, Lokhandwala to conduct social audits, file RTI query to check measures implemented by civic body to keep hawkers at bay

A day after MiD DAY published a report about how the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was losing lakhs a month to prevent hawkers from encroaching footpaths, ALM members from Bandra and Khar have decided to scrutinise BMC’s claim.

MiD DAY’s report on October 8

To do so, the ALM members decided to form four groups and scrutinise audits of the BMC’s licence department on a regular basis.

“We are going to conduct a social audit at the H/west ward from where we can get all our answers and check whether the loss of Rs 15 lakh is real or just on paper, as the hawkers are present at the same spot everyday,” said Anandini Thakoor, a member of Khar Residents Association.

Similarly, members of citizen groups in Oshiwara and Lokhandwala would be filing a Right to Information (RTI) query to check what measures the civic body had implemented to curb the hawker menace in the K/west ward.

“We are going to file an RTI query and will ensure that once hawkers are removed they don’t come back and encroach the same place again. We have marked essential spots where hawkers are present and will help the BMC from losing Rs 15 lakh a month,” said Ashok Pandit of Oshiwara Lokhandwala Citizens Association.u00a0

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