Thane mayor slams civic admin for not informing him about city's Swachh Survekshan Award

Thane Mayor Naresh Mhaske has slammed the civic administration for not informing that the municipal corporation received the central government's Swachh Survekshan Award 2021. The mayor sent a strongly-worded letter to Municipal Commissioner Vipin Sharma and said that he got to know about the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) receiving the award through the print media. According to the awards given out last week by the central government, Thane’s Municipal Corporation was given the 14th position in the 'garbage-free city and waste management' category.

Mayor Mhaske said in the letter that was released to the media, "The civic administration has been insulting and sidelining the mayor and the elected representatives.” He further added that the administration did not even have the courtesy to inform him about the award for which the general body would have lauded the administration during the general body meeting. He said, “In other civic bodies, the mayor and other office-bearers were present to receive the awards, but in the case of Thane, the civic officials conveniently did not inform the mayor and other office-bearers. Even the additional municipal commissioner in-charge of the waste management was not told about it.”

Mhaske says he was subjected to repeated insults

Mhaske said that his anger resonates with the other elected representatives in TMC as they are upset that protocol was not followed and the "repeated insult" of the mayor. He added that the mayor and the elected representatives are planning a "non-cooperation movement." He told the civic chief that the administration and the elected representatives must always act as two wheels, but, “This attitude of the administration is turning things sour." The mayor has also demanded the commissioner to carry out an inquiry into the episode and take action against those responsible for it.