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Good news: BMC vows to fight corruption

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is taking the issue of corruption in its offices seriously. Civic chief Sitaram Kunte on Wednesday gave pledge to senior officials, including additional municipal commissioners, deputy municipal commissioners, heads of the departments and others, to assertively fight against corruption.

Taking cue from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), the civic body is at present observing a vigilance awareness week (from October 27 to November 1).

"Corruption is a major issue grappling both honest officers and the public. The CVC has decided to observe the six-day period to spread awareness among public servants against the malpractice. As part of this, the municipal commissioner gave oath to BMC men who pledged to be committed to provide value-based services," a senior official informed.

The BMC has claimed to be embracing modern technology to bring in transparency in its offices. Use of e-governance, SAP programme, e-office, digitisation of documents and Auto DCR (for building proposals) are some of the measures it has taken to tackle the menace.

Even though the corporation vows to tackle corruption, it has had its history of malpractices by its staffers. At present, there are 62 cases pending before the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) involving 88 civic staffers. Out of these, 41 personnel have already been suspended. "The staffers alleged of accepting bribes include personnel like officers of the deputy municipal commissioner rank, heads of the departments, deputy chief engineers, drivers, peons and others," Ramesh Danane, chief officer (enquiries) informed.

Over the past decade, four Class I employees, including a deputy municipal commissioner, were caught red handed accepting money. Last month, official driver of a BJP corporator was trapped accepting bribe of Rs1 lakh in Malad.

"In the past, 161 staffers were acquitted by courts after they were found to be not at fault and were reinstated. It is not necessary that allegations against anyone hold truth always," another official added.

The enquiries department conducts probe into administrative issues relating to a case of an employee demanding and accepting bribe once ensnared by ACB. A staffer is suspended automatically if s/he spends 48 hours in custody after being trapped by the ACB. If s/he is bailed within the stipulated 48 hours, then the ACB requires sanction from the municipal commissioner for conducting trial.

"Once the ACB apprises the civic chief about a civic employee being trapped, the matter is then enquired at the BMC level. If the probe ascertains fault on part of the staffer, then the commissioner allows ACB to put up the case before court, which later decides the fate of the employee concerned," the official concluded.

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