Surat:
BJP MLA from Majura constituency, Harsh Sanghavi was caught in a controversy following a proposal by him to the standing committee of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) to install 154 high-end dustbins worth Rs70 lakh from his MLA grant.
The dustbins have stainless steel structure, are fitted with solar-powered LED screen for advertising and equipped with separate collection drums for wet and dry garbage of 33 litre capacity. Each dustbin is valued at Rs 45,000 and were to be installed in the BJP MLA’s constituency.
Opposition Congress alleged that Sanghavi was favouring a private agency that supplied high-end dustbins. Sanghavi wrote to municipal commissioner on Wednesday after the controversy asking him to stall the process of installing the dustbins. He said SMC should follow the legal procedure in purchasing the dustbins and seek quotation from state purchase committee (SPC).
Sanghavi told TOI, “It was my dream to provide technology-based dustbins under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to people of my constituency. My intention was good but some vested interests want to malign my image.”