Illegal construction takes centrestage in online meet

The issue pertaining to extensive illegal constructions flourishing in the twin-city of Mira-Bhayandar took centrestage at the civic body’s general body meeting. Also part of the discussion was notices to housing societies seeking submission of documents to authenticate the installation of weather-sheds on the terrace of buildings.

The meeting of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) was held through video conferencing on Thursday. The discussion over illegal construction was triggered due to a massive demolition drive recently undertaken by the MBMC.

Nearly 300 illegal tenements had been razed on a plot in the Kashigaon area of Kashimira. The land was tagged under the garden reservation and falls in the ward represented by MBMC mayor Jyotsna Hasnale.

Responding to the issues, the mayor directed strict action, including suspension of officers who shelter illegal constructions, and rollback notices issued in context to weather sheds.

Cutting across party lines, members from the ruling party as well as the opposition trained their guns at the meeting on local ward officers allegedly allowing such constructions to mushroom.

While most of the members demanded action against ward officials concerned, Congress corporator Rajeev Mehra raised a point by ridiculing civic chief Dilip Dhole’s decision of promoting a ward officer to deputy municipal commissioner, despite being suspended after allegedly being caught red-handed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau while accepting bribe to protect illegal structures.

Earlier, BJP corporator Dhruv Kishore Patil moved a call-to-attention motion questioning the civic administration’s illogical move demanding documents from housing societies to validate the legality of weather sheds installed on the terrace of buildings.