The MNS has demanded that an action taken report be submitted. "Firstly, the report must be made public.
With the Shiv Sena-led standing committee deferring the tabling of a probe report on Wednesday, the Opposition alleged that the Sena is protecting tainted contractors and demanded that the BMC register FIRs against contractors for forgery and cheating in the de-silting scam. The BJP scored over the Sena by managing to keep distance from the 'de-silting' scam and turning the tables against its partner.
"All our allegations have come true. This is the biggest scam in the BMC. Now those who claimed to clean up the city's drains must give answers. Stern action must be taken against the contractors and BMC officials. We have been constantly saying that de-silting is a scam and that has come true," said Manoj Kotak, BJP group leader in the BMC. While the BJP is part of the ruling alliance along with the Sena, it has distanced itself from the 'de-silting' scam. In fact, the BJP has been constantly taking on the Sena over claims of cleaning up the city's drains.
The MNS has demanded that an action taken report be submitted. "Firstly, the report must be made public. The BMC must submit a detailed action taken report. The contractors must be penalized and be asked to re-do the work. It is clear that the Shiv Sena is protecting tainted contractors by not making the report public. The BMC chief had promised that police cases will be registered, where are they now?" said Sandeep Deshpande, MNS group leader in the BMC.
Congress legislator Aslam Shaikh called the scam an exercise of "inflated de-silting". "Just penalizing is not going to solve the problem. The BMC must block the vendor identity of the contractors. This is the Shiv Sena's failure that despite their party leaders going on drain clean up visits, the contractors managed to loot the BMC. This is the biggest con-job ever," Shaikh said.
The Shiv Sena's Yashodhar Phanse, who heads the Standing Committee said that the report could not be tabled due to come technical reasons. Ahead of the monsoon when the de-silting work was on in full-swing, Shiv Sena party president Uddhav Thackeray had undertaken several tours all over the city to check the progress of the BMC's drain clean-up work.
"The report was submitted to the Municipal Commissioner on Mondya and he forwarded it to the Standing Committee chairman. He hasn't tabled it before the committee using his discretion. The report could have been tabbed on Wednesday," a senior civic official said.
Sources said that contractors had created a strong lobby to ensure that the tabling of the explosive report was deferred. "The Sena is backing all the tainted contractors. This is very clear now. Why did they stop the report from becoming public? The report has nailed the Shiv Sena's false claims once and for all. The BMC must file an FIR against the contractors for cheating and fraud," Shaikh added.
Phanse defended his party's clean up exercises. "Nullah safai work did take place. The report doesn't say that no work happened. If there are irregularities, then action must be taken. The administration must do its job. We are not protecting anyone," Phanse said.
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