Where there’s will, there’s money for development

This diarist mainly reports about traffic problems, how corruption rules the roost in the RTO and other related issues, but when covering the happenings in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), it is found most citizens have complaints about lack of civic amenities.
In this context, it needs to be mentioned that the elected representatives have to perform a tedious job. With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruling the NMC for the third consecutive term, corporators from opposition parties are finding it tough to get funds for development works in their constituencies.

A couple of corporators, however, have devised smart techniques to get their work done. One of the

corporators from North Nagpur, who has been elected for three consecutive terms, is known to be very aggressive when it comes to getting sanction for works and also getting them executed.

Every time he approaches the officials’ chambers at NMC headquarters in Civil Lines, he starts talking loudly to send a message that residents of his prabhag are suffering due to lack of civic amenities. He ensures his voice reaches officers sitting in their chambers.

This ensures officials readily clear his proposals. He even maintains similar approach in the general body and standing committee meetings.

The corporator has got the Sugat Nagar School in his prabhag upgraded and it now competes with other private schools in North Nagpur. He also played a big role in developing a garden in his prabhag.

Though he often uses unparliamentary language, the ruling party leaders and, to some extent, officials ignore it as they view him as a genuine people’s representative.

This diarist has even spotted him helping sanitary workers in cleaning the sewerage network. These qualities have made him quite popular among residents in this part of the city.

On the other hand, a few senior corporators from his party keep complaining to the civic chief about no funds for works in their prabhags.

Then there is central Nagpur’s only independent corporator Abha Pande, who is complete opposite of the Congress corporator from North Nagpur. A soft-spoken person, she has a good rapport with officials, good contacts with MLAs and the city MP. She has also exposed many scams in the NMC. She never minds seeking guidance from citizens and even approaching reporters to resolve civic issues.

Another example is of former Congress corporator Manoj Sable. After his ward was reserved for woman, his wife Harshala got elected. A staunch Congressman, Sable has a good relation with the ruling party. This is how he too manages funds for works in his wife’s ward.

(Proshun Chakraborty knows the art of catching others in the wrong lane)