mumbai

Updated: Dec 28, 2016 00:36 IST

The Shiv Sena has accused the civic administration of deliberately placing several proposals for discussion at the standing committee meeting ahead of the civic polls. HT had reported on Monday that after 70 proposals worth Rs1,000 crore were approved within 40 minutes last week without much discussion, 63 proposals worth Rs1,013 crore will be tabled before the standing committee on Wednesday.

Standing committee chairman and senior Shiv Sena corporator in the BMC, Yashodhar Phanse said it was the administration’s duty to put forth the proposals for discussions. “Besides, no questions were raised during these meetings even though every political party leader is allowed to discuss the proposal and so, Sena corporators should not be blamed.”

Phanse said, “It is not true that we have placed the proposals before the standing committee because the civic elections are around the corner. As and when a proposal is approved by the civic chief, I immediately table it before the committee. In fact, the administration wants to get the proposals approved so that work is not delayed owing to the code of conduct.”

According to procedure, after a tender is issued on the civic body’s website, the final bids are opened within three months. A proposal is then made to the civic chief and after his approval, it is forwarded to the BMC’s municipal secretary department and then to the standing committee for its nod. Without the committee’s nod, no major financial work orders can be given out on contract.

Phanse also said that there is no consistency in the proposals tabled before the committee. For instance, final bids on repairing the Shastrinagar nullah at Goregaon were opened in September, but the proposal was tabled in December. Also, in cases such as desilting of major storm water drains before the monsoon, the final bid was opened on December 3 and will be tabled before the committee on Wednesday.

A civic official, however, said, “We are getting the projects approved so that the development work is not hampered as during code of conduct, major financial decisions may not be taken by corporators.”

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