Mumbai citizens bear brunt of corrupt political-contractors alliance, says Shiv Sena (UBT) in 'Saamana'

The Uddhav Thackerayled Shiv Sena UBT on Thursday criticised the BJPled Mahayuti government in Maharashtra alleging that the first spell of the monsoon has exposed shortcomings in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations BMC infrastructure works and civic administrationIn an editorial published in the party mouthpiece Saamana Shiv Sena UBT alleged that the BMC had failed to fix accountability in connection with the Chembur tree collapse that claimed the life of an 11yearold boy The party also accused the civic administration of protecting its officials instead of taking action against those responsibleEditorial questions inquiry into Chembur tragedyThe criticism comes in the wake of the June 30 incident in Chembur where an 11yearold boy Vihaan Srivastav died and several other children were injured after a large roadside tree fell on their school bus near Diamond GardenFollowing the incident the BMC constituted an internal inquiry committee to investigate the cause of the tree collapse According to the committees findings the civic bodys Gardens and Roads departments were not held responsible for the incident Instead it recommended a combined penalty of Rs 7 lakh on the contractor and the supervising project consultantReacting to the report the Saamana editorial described the inquiry as a predetermined favourable scriptThe committee appeared to have been engineered to deliver a predetermined favourable script By declaring the Gardens and Roads departments entirely innocent and settling for a minor fine on the contractor the administration has given its own officials a free pass it remarkedShiv Sena UBT questions impartiality of probeThe editorial further alleged that the inquiry lacked independence claiming that an official associated with Mumbais road concreting projects was also a member of the committee investigating the incidentAccording to the party such an arrangement raised questions about the impartiality of the findings It also argued that concerns raised by experts and local residents regarding excessive and unscientific road concreting around tree roots had not been adequately addressed by the civic administrationThe Municipal Commissioner has flatly denied that unscientific road concretisation plays a role in weakening tree roots The Mumbai Mayor and other ruling politicians have actively blamed the concreting works in an apparent bid to deflect public anger With the release of the controversial report Mayor publicly rejected its findings demanding a criminal case against the contractor instead of a mere penalty said the Thackeray campParty targets civic leadership over accountabilityThe editorial questioned why the civic administration had not taken stronger action if it believed lapses had occurredThe Commissioner was appointed by you The ruling power in the Municipal Corporation belongs to you The committee to investigate the Chembur tragedy was formed by you the editorial pointed out Yet when the committeersquos findings spark outrage you are the ones performing high dramaThe party alleged that conflicting statements from civic officials and elected representatives had created confusion over responsibility for the incidentEditorial links civic issues to broader governanceIn its concluding remarks the editorial expanded its criticism to the state and Central governments alleging that similar patterns of governance and accountability were visible at multiple levels of administrationFrom the Centre down to the civic bodies Mumbai is unfortunately being ruled by an administration of absolute deceit leaving ordinary citizens and children to pay the price the editorial saidWith inputs from IANS