IAS man sent to Bhiwandi after 11 days in Thane

BHIWANDI/THANE: The rapid rise in Covid-19 cases in Bhiwandi and a demand by locals for an IAS officer in the powerloom city made the state government appoint Pankaj Ashiya the municipal commissioner of Bhiwandi-Nizampura in place of Pravin Ashtikar.
Ashiya, credited with controlling the coronavirus in Malegaon, was deputed to the Thane Municipal Corporation to combat the coronavirus just 11 days ago.
A 2015 batch IAS officer who hails from Jodhpur, Ashiya has served as assistant secretary at NITI Ayog.
In Bhiwandi, the number of Covid-19 cases is 875. "I am happy the government has taken cognisance of my demand and posted an IAS officer in the city," Bhiwandi MLA Rais Shaikh said.
In Thane, which has 5,500 cases, activists criticised the frequent replacements.
Mid-March marked the exit of municipal commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal and appointment of Vijay Singhal. In mid-May, two additional commissioners were replaced. Later, two IAS officials, Ranjit Kumar and Ashiya, were brought in.
BJP city unit chief Niranjan Davkhare and mayor Naresh Mhaske said the rise in Covid-19 cases showed the transfers were not helping.