Civic officers-corporators split widens in NMC
| Date :14-Jul-2020 |
Senior NMC officers submitting memorandum to Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Monday.
Staff Reporter :
Alleged use of foul words by Pravin Datke against senior officer leads to pen-down strike
High drama was witnessed at Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Monday in aftermath of alleged use of foul words by Pravin Datke, senior leader of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, during a conversation with senior civic officer. The issue assumed political overtones in backdrop of ongoing tussle between political and civic administration. Senior corporators directly talking with senior officers is quite a routine at civic body.
This time however the matter snowballed into a major controversy. Within minutes of the phone call, Central Office of NMC was rocked by the incident as entire staff closed ranks and resorted to pen-down strike protesting the high handness on part of Datke, a former Mayor, presently senior corporator and now also a Member of Legislative Council (MLC). After internal discussion, Heads of Department (HoD) along with civic employee met with Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe wherein Pramod Gawande, Assistant Director, Town Planning, NMC, complained about the way Datke used objectionable words. Gawande promptly dashed of a letter to Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department (2), Maharashtra Government, requesting that he be repatriated to his parent department.
The officer claimed Datke usage of foul words has deeply hurt him and he no longer wishes to continue on deputation with NMC. As per information, Datke in morning phoned Pramod Gawande, Assistant Director, Town Planning, regarding stalled road work in Mahalaxmi Nagar. During the conversation, Datke reportedly got agitated as Gawande refused to abide by former’s order to visit the work site and sort out the matter that was earlier brought to notice by party corporator Swati Akhatkar. Gawande cited meeting with Municipal Commissioner as reason for not abiding by Datke's desire and this led to later loosing his cool and subsequently later used certain expression that led to current storm at the civic body. Gawande shared the information with his superiors and the word spread and all Heads of Department (HoD) moved Municipal Commissioner.
As matter reached other employees they expressed sympathy with Gawande and a decision about pen down strike was taken. Municipal Commissioner during talks with HoDs said he would take up the issue with State Government. He sympathised with concerns expressed by officer and opined that it's wrong to talk in such manner with any officer. Mundhe appealed to civic employees not to strike work emphasising that they are all part of emergency services. However disregarding the appeal, NMC employees went ahead and refused to transact any work. For the BJP that has been helming NMC for past 15-years the decision of entire administration about pen down strike to protest against Datke came was a surprise.
The memorandum submitted by NMC employees mentioned that barring emergency service all others would resort to pen down strike. But second point in letter is more serious as the officers said henceforth they would boycott future meeting with office bearers of various constitutional bodies of NMC. Mayor apologises on behalf of Datke Seeking to control the damage, Mayor Sandip Joshi appologised on behalf his party leader and appealed civic officers and employees to take back their agitation. Joshi while interacting on Monday with delegation of officers and employees regarding the incident that occurred with Pramod Gawande sought to defuse the crisis. Clarifying that he does not endorse the act of Pravin Datke, Mayor however pointed out that as latter has already appologised to Gawande, the incident should be treated as closed.
Even as he sought to salvage the situation, Mayor said corporators too face the pressure to deliver and in heat of moment someone might slip up. Datke he said is senior corporator and he does not harbour any ill will towards any officer and the issue involved is that of stalled development. The stance of officers boycotting meeting called by elected office bearers does not augur well for the city, Mayor said and urged them to withdraw the said point from their memorandum. Jadhav targeted Municipal Commissioner: Later addressing a press conference, Sandeep Jadhav, Ruling Party Leader, claimed that it was at instance of Municipal Commissioner that officers have fanned a minor issue to give it a colour of controversy. Countering Mayor, Jadhav claimed Datke never uttered any foul word during the conversation, and the way a small matter is being giving label of administration versus political establishment, it's clear who is behind it. Dayashankar Tiwari, senior corporator, without naming Municipal Commissioner, said decision on pen down strike and further snowballing the issue was at behest of someone. A meeting was held after which senior officers indulged in correspondence and hardened their stance.
Officers on deputation seek en masse repatriation
Staff Reporter :
A storm is brewing in the cup of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) as all the officers on deputation have requested that they be repatriated to their parent department. The matter is fallout of alleged use of foul words on part of Pravin Datke, senior BJP corporator, during conversation with Pramod Gawande, Assistant Director, Town Planning, NMC. Post discussion the officers lobby joined hands and addressed a joint letter to Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department (2), wherein they demanded repatriation to their parent departments respectively.
The officers said all the signatories below are working on deputation or holding additional charge in NMC. They cited the use of foul language and issuance of threat to Gawande allegedly by Datke has made them rethink about working in NMC. Officers claimed apart from being hurt personally all of them are gripped by sense of fear while discharging their duties on deputation. Further in the letter the officers feared that what happened with Gawande today can occur in future with any one of them.
Hence the officers said they do not desire to work with NMC and they should be relieved of current assignment and sent back to their parent departments respectively. The letter mention names of officers and their parent department (mentioned in bracket) and the list includes Ulhas Debadwar, Chief Engineer (Public Works Department/Additional Charge), Ram Joshi, Additional Commissioner (Deputy Collector), Sanjay Nipane, Additional Commissioner (CO Group), Nirbhay Jain, Deputy Commissioner (Deputy Collector), Pramod Gawande, Asstt. Director, Town Planning, NMC, (Asstt. Director, Town Planning), Shewta Banerjee, Exe. Engineer (Exe. Engineer, MJP), Priti Mishrikotkar, Education Officer (Edn. Officer, Group-A), Dr Yogendra Sawai, Health Officer (District Health Officer), Sonali Chavan, Exe. Engineer (Exe. Eng, PWD), Kiran Bagde, Assistant Commissioner (CO, Gr-B), Sushma Mandge, Asstt. Commissioner (CO-Gr-B), Sadhna Patil, Asstt. Commissioner (CO-Gr-B), Hemant Thakre, CAFO (Dy. Director, Accounts), Deepali Nasre, Filaria Officer (District Filaria Officer) and Harshal Gedam, Town Planner (Town Planning Department).
A copy of the letter was also marked to Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Forest, Principal Secretary, UDD (1), Principal Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation, Principal Secretary, PWD, Principal Secretary, Public Health, Principal Secretary, Finance and Accounts and Treasury.