‘Install CCTV before desilting’

A BMC report stated that contractors have duped it of Rs 38.13 crore

Corporators in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have demanded the installation of CCTV cameras during nullah cleaning works in the backdrop of allegations of a scam of crores of rupees in the desilting. The issue is going to be discussed in the BMC’s standing committee on Monday, as nullah cleaning is one of the major activities in the city during the pre-monsoon period.

The demand was raised after a recent BMC inquiry report into the desilting scam stated that the contractors have duped the civic body of '38.13 crore.

Raising this issue in the standing committee meeting on Wednesday, Pravin Chedda, Congress corporator said, “It is better that before the work of desilting start begins on the nullahs around the city for the coming monsoon, we ensure that CCTV cameras are installed to keep a tight watch on the contractors. Corporation cannot afford any more scams where contractors eat away public money.”

After the inquiry report was released earlier this month, BMC chief Ajoy Mehta had directed the civic officials to start the process of blacklisting all the responsible contractors immediately. The inquiry report is expected to be out within three months.

“It is a good suggestion to install CCTV cameras at the working sites to keep an eye on the contractors, but at the same time BMC is already paying the civic officials to supervise the work and report accordingly. If CCTV cameras are brought in there will again an additional liability on the BMC to invest on its maintenance and installation. Also, there are chances of CCTV cameras being tampered with,” said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee, Watchdog Foundation, an NGO.

The city had witnessed flooding with majority of areas going under water in June 2015 during heavy rains as the desilting work carried out by the contractors was found out to be shoddy. The report stated that about 70 per cent of the entries made by contractors, while transporting silt to the dumpsites outside the city, have been bogus. The contractors of VTS, weighing and desilting works prepared fake documents in connivance with each other and cause financial damage to the BMC.

Even ruling BJP has nodded in favour of the proposal. Dilip Patel, BJP corporator, welcoming the suggestion said, “It is better we install CCTV cameras so that there is no human involvement in reporting the work carried out by the contractors.” The issue will be discussed in the standing committee meeting of the civic body on Monday.