BJP-led MBMC opts to spend crores on hired water tankers

Penny Wise, Pound Foolish - this idiom aptly defines the working style of the BJP-led standing panel in the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) as when it comes to renting vehicles, the ruling party members do not drive a hard bargain.

This became evident after the standing committee rejected a proposal mooted by the civic administration to purchase two water tankers worth around Rs 44.62 lakh through the Government eMarketplace (GeM). Instead the BJP members on the virtue of their majority in the 16-member house extended their support to the cartel of contractors by opting to continue hiring private tankers to water gardens, playgrounds, traffic islands, medians and other open spaces in the twin-city.

Shockingly, the MBMC administration spends up to Rs 10 lakh every month to pay bills for the contractor at the rate of Rs 599 per tanker. Moreover, the contractor sources water free of cost from treatment plants and public lakes in the twin-city. As per rough estimates, the civic administration spends around Rs 1 crore towards the watering project.

“The civic administration had mooted the proposal as one of its cost cutting measures by one time investment aimed at saving recurring expenses; however, the BJP wants to splurge money on contractors for obvious reasons. I will seek government intervention to ensure that such absurd resolutions are scrapped,” said Shiv Sena legislator- Geeta Jain.

BJP members maintained that buying just two tankers will not solve the purpose as the area is vast. As per rough estimates, the civic administration spends around Rs. 1 crore annually towards the watering project.

“A single time investment of Rs 50 lakh for two tankers (capacity of 9,000 liters each) supported by a team of contractual drivers would have easily saved Rs 5 lakh per month and vehicles would have remained as a MBMC property,” said, deputy municipal commissioner Dr Sambhaji Panpatte.