Nagpur: Four Congress corporators walked out of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) Standing Committee meeting on Friday, alleging changes in the minutes of proceedings and discrimination in allocating development funds.The protest began soon after the meeting commenced, with opposition members Abhijeet Jha, Wasim Khan, Maristella Usre and Abhishek Shambharkar objecting to the previous meeting’s minutes being taken up for confirmation without copies being circulated as per procedure. They alleged that changes were being made at the chairperson’s discretion.Jha specifically questioned how a proposal originally referring to ‘Prabhag 14’ was subsequently recorded as ‘Prabhag 14(A)’. He demanded to know whether the committee had actually approved this change and, if so, under which rule or bye-law the chairperson had the authority to alter an approved proposal’s record.The Congress members also sought mandatory audio-video recording of every Standing Committee meeting to prevent alleged tampering and ensure transparency.Khan alleged discrimination in fund allocation, saying opposition corporators should not be treated differently. “Development funds are not the property of any party or individual. They are the people’s money. There should be no discrimination in the allocation of funds,” he said.The Congress members then walked out; the committee, however, continued its proceedings and approved various proposals.Chairperson Shivani Dani-Wakhare said the Congress members had arrived with a predetermined intention to create a ruckus, adding that she had tried to engage with them but they were unwilling to listen.She said she had directed the municipal secretary to ensure the minutes were provided to every member, and rejected the discrimination allegation, saying funds were being provided to all members equally. “If all the files come on the same day, it isn’t possible to approve them all at once,” she said.She added that once budget implementation began, officials had started sanctioning funds independently; to keep the committee informed of such sanctions, officials had since been asked to obtain letters from corporators regarding development works.NMC TO CONDUCT FIRST WATER AUDIT38% water is non-revenue: NMC lifts around 750 MLD of water daily, of which nearly 38% is classified as non-revenue water (NRW), resulting in significant water and revenue losses.Rs 3.22 crore audit: The Standing Committee has granted administrative approval for Rs 3.22 crore to appoint a consultant for the water audit.4,500 km network: The audit will cover Nagpur’s approximately 4,500-km drinking water pipeline network.What the audit will examine:Locations of pipeline leakagesAreas where water theft is suspectedCondition of existing pipelinesPipeline layout and network designReasons for low water pressure in certain areasCauses of water and revenue lossesWhy it matters: The audit is expected to help NMC identify the causes of high NRW, plan measures to reduce water losses and improve revenue from the water supply system.GANDHISAGAR TO GET VIEWING GALLERYNMC’s Standing Committee has approved a Rs 6.53 crore project for the beautification of Gandhi Sagar Lake, including a musical fountain, viewing gallery, landscaping and a pathway connecting Nathik Chowk. The civic body will now initiate the tender process.
