Morbi civic body defies government, says show-cause notice came sans ‘proof’

RAJKOT: The Morbi municipality on Monday refused to file a reply to the state government's show-cause notice that sought to know why the civic body should not be dissolved, saying that it would do so only after getting all the documents substantiating the allegations of its abject failure in discharging basic duties levelled by the urban development department.
A special general board meeting of the municipality called on Monday unanimously resolved that it would file an explanation only after getting the documents.
"The original documents of the subject matter of the government notice have been acquired by the special investigation team (SIT). No documentary evidence has been attached (with the notice).
We unanimously resolved to ask the government to provide relevant documents regarding the notice. After exploring the evidence, the general board will file an appropriate reply," the resolution adopted states.
The municipality also urged the government not to take any decision 'in the interest of justice' till the time the civic body files its reply.
All 52 members of the municipality belong to BJP, out of whom 13 were absent.
Talking to TOI, Jaypalsinh Jadeja, vice-president of the municipality said, "We are ready to resign but not with the blot of being irresponsible. The agreement between the municipality and Ajanta-Oreva group regarding the suspension bridge was signed as per collector's order. When the agreement was signed, we were not in power but the Congress was ruling the civic body."
Jadeja claimed that the previous general body members had also written to the Oreva Group to handover the bridge to the municipality after the contract expired, but the company did not do so.
The show-cause notice issued on January 18 stated that the municipality had turned a blind eye to repeated letters written by the Oreva Group, which was contracted to operate and maintain the bridge, warning about its dilapidated condition and that it was a catastrophe waiting to happen.
While pointing out a number of flaws in the repair and renovation work, the SIT had also found that the chief officer had signed an agreement with Oreva Group with a clause of increase the ticket rates even as the general body had rejected the proposal of hike earlier.