The Hindu : Mayor accused of withholding files

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 17, 2002

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Mayor accused of withholding files

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI NOV. 16. Eyebrows are being raised in political and administrative circles here over a number of controversial decisions taken by the Delhi Mayor, Jaishree Panwar, which are threatening to mar her as well as the party's image.

The withholding of files by the Mayor's office is also fast turning into a political issue with the possibility of allegations of wrongdoings and corruption likely to be raised by the Opposition BJP. It is the ruling Congress which would be hit by such allegations in the run-up to crucial Assembly elections next year.

Senior officials in the Corporation are appalled over the manner in which the Mayor's office has been withholding a number of important files related to developmental issues. Among these are the ones pertaining to the computerisation drive and the Rs. 13.5-crore loan given by HUDCO for construction of various buildings.

Officials allege that Ms. Panwar has been signing documents without proper scrutiny. The latest instance relates to purchase of 150 tipper trucks for which the Standing Committee of the MCD had given its approval last month because of the urgency in the matter. To be purchased for the Sanitation Department, these trucks are to be utilised for transportation of garbage from dhalaos to the sanitary landfill sites. At present, the civic body has about 300 trucks for this purpose as against the required 900.

While the Standing Committee had given the approval for purchase of trucks of a particular company and the rates of which were approved by the Director General of Supplies and Disposal (DGS&D), the Mayor is understood to have declined to give her consent and instead favoured another company which was blacklisted by the MCD in 1996. Trucks of this company cost Rs. 30,000 more than those approved by the Standing Committee.

In her argument she is learnt to have said that the trucks of the company favoured by her had "better driving visibility'', "more manoeuvrability'' and have "2.6 times more carrying capacity'' in comparison to the trucks approved by the Standing Committee. "If these trucks are purchased now, the MCD would have to pay Rs. 45 lakhs more,'' said a senior official.

Officials alleged that similar was the case with purchase of computers from NICSCI, a wing of the National Informatics Centre of the Union Government. Citing another example, they said that the file regarding the mid-day meal scheme was cleared by her office after lot of canvassing. Even the appointment of a new Accessor and Collector is being held up despite the clearance by the Appointments Committee, they alleged.

Political observers say these developments are reflective of factionalism and internal bickerings among Congress Councillors. This is also seen as an effort on behalf of the Mayor to assert herself. "I am not being consulted. I am being considered a rubber stamp. I will not let this happen,'' she has been telling her close aides.

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