Nagpur: Even as the term of current House of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is coming to an end early next year, over 50%, or say, 82 Corporators did not raise a single question in the past four and a half years. The People’s Representatives, also called “People’s Voice” remained silent all these years and performed poorly in terms of addressing citizens’ issues and raising their questions in General Body Meetings, according to a report in local media. The 82 City Fathers, as the Corporators are called, maintained ‘Radio Silence’ in 151-member House and thus betrayed the people who elected them for five years in the hope of resolving their civic problems.
Ahead of NMC elections, which are scheduled to be held in February 2022, the shabby performance of the Corporators will help citizens understand the necessity to elect public representatives in a better manner. The citizens’ complaints were one of the most important aspects of the issues the so-called City Fathers were expected to take up with the Municipal Corporation Administration. But the Corporators have failed to fulfil their primary responsibility of raising the citizens’ issues.
On the other hand, only 69 Corporators raised their voice in the NMC House during General Body Meetings and higlighted the burning issues being faced by the citizens. The Ruling Party Corporator Pravin Datke rattled the House by raising maximum 56 questions of public importance followed by Opposition Leader Tanaji Wanve who raised 47 questions. Third on the spot was Congress member Praful Gudadhe with 42 questions. Another Ruling Party Corporator Adv Dharmapal Meshram pricked the NMC Administration with 25 questions.
According to the report, there are 11 Corporators who raised issues 10 times. Rest of the City Fathers marked their presence in the NMC House by asking one or two questions of irrelevance. Manoj Sangole of Congress raised 19 questions and also gave notice once. BSP’s Jitendra Ghodeswar raised issues five times and also gave notice for the same number of times. While another BSP Corporator Mohd Jamal raised 11 questions, Congress member Sandip Sahare stood 11 times and served five notices as well. The firebrand NCP Corporator Abha Pande asked 8 questions and gave notices 11 times. Balya Borkar of BJPwas content with 9 questions and one notice. Another party member Rajendra Sonkusre raised issues 12 times and served notice once.
The report has also stated that there has been no improvement in the quality of questions raised by Corporators in General Body Meetings. Also, attendance of Corporators at General Body Meetings had dropped considerably in the past four and a half years.
