UDD urges BMC for report on MCGM art and culture committee

The Urban Development Department (UDD) of the state government has asked BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal to submit a report (or his remark) on the letter submitted by former Shiv Sena corporator, Amey Ghole, requesting to cancel the Art and Culture Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and hand it over to any deputy municipal commissioner or an assistant municipal commissioner.

The MCGM art and cultural committee looks into regulating, installing and maintaining art works in public places. It comes under the municipal commissioner.

In February, Ghole had written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the UDD to cancel the committee. He claimed that it has not been active for several years and didn’t accept any proposals about the beautification of chowks and public places.

Ghole in his letter stated, “The committee chairman hasn’t put any beautification proposals in several years and didn’t accept any proposals from corporators saying this is not the work of corporators or any ward officer of the MCGM.”

Ghole told the Free Press Journal, “My adjoining ward corporator had submitted a proposal of construction of a sculpture on the street. Its proposed height was six feet. Thereafter, the committee suggested changing it to four feet. When we made necessary changes to the plan, the committee refused to accept it. When we met the chairman separately, he said it is not the work of corporators or any assistant commissioner. It should be done only through CSR funding.”

“If corporators are ready to give funds then what is the problem?” he added. Commissioner Chahal refused to comment on the matter.