Mundhe ‘halts’ work few hrs before Chhattisgarhi fest

Nagpur: Yet another controversy has erupted between Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) office bearers and municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. With only a few hours left for inauguration of the three-day Chhattisgarhi Mahotsav, organized by standing committee chairman Pradip Pohane, Mundhe reportedly did not approve the work order to a private agency for erection of the stage for the inauguration and other activities during the fest.
Pohane told TOI Mundhe did not clear the work order for the stage costing around Rs5 lakh even though it was placed before him three days ago.“Instead of approving it, Mundhe asked for opinion of chief accounts and finance officer Mona Thakur, who raised several queries and halted it. This makes it apparent that Mundhe has stopped the work intentionally,” he said.
Mayor Sandip Joshi said the civic chief should clear the works as they are directly related to reputation of the city. “Pohane proposed it in the budget and it was approved by general body last year. The then municipal commissioner Abhijit Bangar approved it. Then, the standing committee gave administrative approval, which too was approved and implemented by Bangar. Mundhe cannot stop it now, as it has been already cleared by the civic chief, which is the same post Mundhe is occupying now,” he said.
Joshi added, “It is NMC’s responsibility to hold such cultural and social events. Mundhe should not pose any hurdles in the fest, which has been organized in larger interest of the public. Even if he has some issues, he should not interfere when a few hours are left for inauguration,” he said.
City MP and union minister Nitin Gadkari is scheduled to inaugurate the fest on Saturday.
Pohane also said Bangar had cleared an advance of Rs9.50 lakh for the fest. “NMC has invited Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai, renowned Pandwani exponent, on Sunday. Many artists from Chhattisgarh have been invited to perform during the fest. Therefore, Bangar had approved an advance. Other types of works were approved and work orders issued by NMC,” he said.
Pohane had approved Rs36 lakh for the fest, of which Rs18 lakh was for artists and remaining for arrangements.
Mundhe could not be contacted for his version.
A few years ago, Nagpur bench of Bombay high court had passed strictures against NMC for organizing Nagpur Mahotsav with civic body funds. Then, NMC organized it with public funds and discontinued it over last couple of years.
The controversy between office bearers and civic chief started with latter’s decisions on surplus teachers, stopping of works approved in the budget and standing committee etc.