Wai council meeting sees clash over quality of works, water supply; staff get Rs 10,000 ex gratia

The ruling and opposition members clashed over the quality of development works and inadequate water supply in the city at a special meeting of the Wai Municipal Council. Opposition councillor Bharat Khamkar questioned the quality of the works currently under way. Council president Anil Sawant, however, replied to the objections by saying the works were being done to a good standard.

The meeting was held at 11 am on Thursday in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj hall of the council, under the chairmanship of Sawant. Deputy president Ghanshyam Chakke, the chairpersons of the subject committees and all councillors were present. Five items were before the meeting. Members spoke on the quality of development works, solid waste management, water supply and ex gratia payment.

Khamkar alleged that the works under way in the city lacked the expected quality. He compared them with works done during the period of administrator rule and expressed displeasure. He also demanded that the water supply department take urgent measures, as citizens get water for very little time.

Sawant said it was not right to compare with works from the administrator period. He also said that delays in the works were caused by red tape at the government level. He said good work by the administration should be appreciated, but asked whether the people of Wai had made a mistake by electing the present members, if such comparisons were made. He said the council was being run frugally and appealed to all members to cooperate.

Councillor Ajit Shinde questioned the administration over the water supply tender. He asked why the tender process had not been carried out although a resolution had been passed two months earlier. He also asked whether the contractor concerned was being shielded. Councillor Nilima Kharat backed Khamkar's stand and demanded that the drinking water problem be solved urgently.

The ex gratia for employees was discussed at length. Saying the council bore an additional financial burden of about Rs 40 crore, Sawant opposed paying the ex gratia across the board to all officers and employees. His position was that it should be given to Class IV employees who work on the ground. He also raised the point that although Class IV employees have a six-day week, they actually work only five days. He held that since this had been going on for the past six years, the money of the council and the government was being wasted.

Chief officer Sanjivani Dalvi said the council had 88 officers, employees and workers in all. She clarified that ex gratia was paid only to an employee who had completed at least eight months of service. Shinde demanded that the ex gratia be given to all officers, employees and workers without discrimination. After the discussion, the house approved an ex gratia of Rs 10,000 each on the occasion of Diwali.