Nagpur: Mayor Neeta Thakre on Thursday directed all 160 corporators to ensure that their relatives do not interfere in Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) administrative functioning or civic works.The directive came during the general body meeting after Congress corporator Abhijeet Jha moved an adjournment motion over the alleged interference of relatives of women corporators in civic works.The issue has been drawing attention within the civic administration for some time, with relatives of several corporators — particularly women corporators — actively participating in WhatsApp groups run by NMC’s 10 zones, each managed by the respective assistant municipal commissioner.TOI also spotted husbands of several women corporators outside their chambers, including deputy mayor Leela Hathibed’s husband Ajay, transport committee chairperson Mangala Khekre’s husband Shashank, and Mangalwari zone chairperson Seema Dawre’s husband Arun.Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some of these relatives not only participated in discussions and attended meetings but also issued instructions to civic officials on the execution of works. Some relatives, they alleged, even accompanied staff during spot inspections despite holding no official designation or authority within the civic body.Mayor Thakre stressed that only elected representatives should deal with the administration. Unauthorised intervention by family members, officials said, could create confusion over accountability and administrative responsibility.
