Tuesday 25 November 2014

Municipal Secretary says  pursual of resolution forwarded by it not his responsibility

The Councillors of MCGM in the past five years tabled and passed resolutions on various subjects majorly on developmental issues and beneficial for the genenal public gets redundant as the said resolutions when sent to the Central and State Govt for necessary approvals do not receive the response due to lack of necessary pursual by the MCGM officials. Municipal Secretary Narayan Pathade says  pursual of resolution forwarded by it not his responsibility. With Central & State Government in last 5 years pending 142  resolutions approved in the MCGM and sent to Central / State Govt. This was informed wide a letter address to Anil Galgali by Municipal Secretary Narayan Pathade.

Municipal Secretary Narayan Pathade informed wide a letter dated 24.11.2014 to Anil Galgali that Central & State Government's are law formulating High Level Bodies. Also there is no precedence on record of there department of ever pursueing with Government Department. Hence the demand of Galgali that the department should follow-up regarding the various resolution approved by The General Body and forwarded by the department does not seem feasible.

RTI Activist Anil Galgali had filed an query with the MCGM administration seeking details of the Resolutions of the MCGM sent or pending with the Central / State Govts for approval / assistance. The Municipal Secretary dept in a reply to the query informed Galgali that, Since 28th May 2009 to 02nd May 2014, 143 Resolutions on various issues raised and discussed in the House by the Councillors were sent to the Central or State Govt for necessary approvals. Out of this 143 resolutions, the MCGM received a report on only 1 Resolution as on date.

After the demand of Anil Galgali and after receiveing flak for its inaction, Municipal Secretary department now has woken up from his slumber and shirked of responsibilty on this house.Galgali has now demanded from the Mayor & Municipal Commissioner to initiate action against the Municipal Secretary for this negligence which has caused insult of the House and also further demanded to decide who would be responsible for pursual with Government department.

Thursday 20 November 2014

Governor also kept in dark on how many MLA's with BJP

It is very apparent now that Devendra Fadnavis chose the easiest but most vague option to prove majority of his govt on the floor of the house through voice vote, but what is more startling is that the BJP did not even find it fit to enclose its list of own MLA's as well as other MLA's supporting the govt in its letter handed over to the Governor, seeking his invitation to form the Govt, this has now been revealed through a reply by the Governor's Secretariat to a query filed by RTI Activist Anil Galgali.

RTI Activist Anil Galgali had filed a query with the Governor's secretariat, seeking information about how much strength of MLA's  had Devendra Fadnavis claimed in his letter handed over to the Governor, seeking his invitation to form the Govt. He also sought a copy of the letter. In the reply to the query, Smt Ujjwala Dandekar, Under Secretary (Administration) & Public Information Officer to the Governor Secretariat stated that on 28/10/2014 at 6.40 pm, the letter signed by Devendra Fadnavis, Eknatrao Khadse-Patil, Vinod Tawde, Sudhir Mungantiwar, & Pankaja Munde - Palwe, the member's of the BJP Core Committee was received by the Governor, a copy of which was provided to Galgali. In the letter addressed to the Governor Shri C Vidyasagar Rao it was informed that the "BJP being the single largest party we request your honour to give us the opportunity to form the Governament".

Without disclosing its strength,neither providing any list of supporting MLA's, the Devendra Fadnavis govt proved it majority on the floor of the house by a voice vote only displays the smartness of this Govt, But the people of Maharashtra are still unclear about the actual strength of this govt, stated Galgali. Galgali further appealed that it is the moral duty of Devendra Fadnavis to release the list of MLA's in their support, so the ordinary public can understand exactly how much support does this Govt enjoy in the legislature. 

Tuesday 18 November 2014

Resolutions of MCGM become redundant due to overlooking by the Central & State Govt's

The Councillors of MCGM in the past five years tabled and passed resolutions on various subjects majorly on developmental issues and beneficial for the genenal public gets redundant as the said resolutions when sent to the Central and State Govt for necessary approvals do not receive the response due to lack of necessary pursual by the MCGM officials. In the past 5 years 142 such resolutions approved in the MCGM and sent to Central / State Govt has become redundant due to such non pursual by the Municipal Secretary dept of the MCGM. This information was revealed in a reply to on RTI query filed by RTI Activist Anil Galgali.

RTI Activist Anil Galgali had filed an query with the MCGM administration seeking details of the Resolutions of the MCGM sent or pending with the Central / State Govts for approval / assistance. The Municipal Secretary dept in a reply to the query informed Galgali that, Since 28th May 2009 to 02nd May 2014, 143 Resolutions on various issues raised and discussed in the House by the Councillors were sent to the Central or State Govt for necessary approvals. Out of this 143 resolutions, the MCGM received a report on only 1 Resolution as on date. This has happened only due to lackluster non pursual by the Municipal Secretary dept.

Any Proposal or resolutions or any communication which is conducted by the MCGM with the Central or State Govts have to be vigorously pursued by the Municipal Secretary Dept, through which the correspondence is done in MCGM. But it seems that this dept has failed to pursue with the respective govt departments to seek response on its communications, due to which efforts of various Councillors who initiate and move these proposals and further debate to get them approved by the House have gone to waste, alleged Galgali. Galgali has now demanded from the Mayor & Municipal Commissioner to initiate action against the Municipal Secretary for this negligence which has caused insult of the House.


The Only Response.

On 16/08/2013, the MCGM forwarded, Resolution no 629, on the issue of The MCGM sanctions for development of RG / PG land in MHADA Layout should not be given until the said land's property card is not transferred in the name of MCGM. The State Govt on June, 2014 sent a copy of its report prepared by it to the MCGM.

What are these Resolutions?

There are some very important resolutions sent to Central or State Govt for approval, some important amongst them are - Formulating a law to initiate criminal action against persons found causing wastage of Water, Restriction on sale of Gutka and other tobacco related products in Mumbai, Creating a column in the Driving Licence to intimate the Consent of person to donate the body after the death, The Permission to issue domicile certificate's to citizens through its CFC's in its Ward Offices, Declare Mangrove areas as National heritage to ensure its protection and conservation, Cornea's of Accidental death victims be immediately removed and given to persons on waiting list of blind people awaiting donation, Modify law to protect the surrogate mothers against exploitation and cheating on financial agreements.

Friday 14 November 2014

Unregistered doctor is the chief of Pune Municipal Corporation's health dept

Dr Somnath Tarachand Pardeshi, who holds additional charge as the chief of the Health dept of the Pune Municipal corporation is not registered with the Maharashtra Medical Council, this shocking revelation got exposed after RTI Activist Anil Galgali received reply on a query filed by him. Anil Galgali has now shot off a letter to the CM and the Urban Development dept, intimating them and seeking action on this grave lapse, he has also requested the CM to ensure appointment of a qualified person on the post.

The Public Information Officer and further the 1st Appellate Officer had refused to give information on the query filed by Anil Galgali, stating that the query is seeking personal information, hence the information was disallowed by the Dy Commissioner & 1st Appellate officer Shri Mangesh Joshi. The officials, who enjoy blessings of the topmost officers in the PMC are stating that the documents submitted by Dr Pardeshi at the time of joining the govt service, are not on records, which is a blatant lie stated Galgali, they also informed that the issue is sub-judice hence also the information cannot be provided. To cross check and verify the information provided Anil Galgali filed a RTI query with the Maharashtra Medical Council. The Registrar of the Council Shri R G Janjal, in reply to the query informed that Dr Somnath Tarachand Pardeshi has not been provided  registration by the council, and also the complaint of Dr Pardeshi is pending with it.

After knowing all facts why is the Pune Commissioner protecting Dr Pardeshi? questioned Galgali, Galgali further expressed surprise that the PMC has failed to find an eligible, and qualified person for the post in Maharashtra in the past 33 months. Anil Galgali lodged a complaint regarding this irregularity with the Pune Municipal Commissioner, who has not taken any action on it, also the Commissioner has not bothered to reply to the complaint.

Anil Galgali has demanded in his letter to the CM, that suitable action be taken against Dr Somnath Tarachand Pardeshi who enjoys the patronage of the Municipal Commissioner and not registered with the Medical Council and immediately appoint a suitable, qualified officer to the post held by Dr Pardeshi, he has also sought action against the PMC Commissioner, Dy Commissioner (General) & Personnel Dept officials for shielding an ineligible officer.

# What law says

It is important to note that the additional charge of Dr Pardeshi as Chief of Health Dept violates section 33A of Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act, 1961, which states that " Unregistered person's not to hold appointments as Medical Officer of Health of any local authority". In case of violation of this provision - for the first offence, the punishment could be imprisonment for the term which shall not be less than 2 years but which may extend to 5 years and with fine which shall not be less than 2000 Rs but which may be extended to Rs 10,000. and for a second or subsequent offence, with rigourous imprisonment for term which may extend to 10 years and with the fine which may extend to Rs 25,000/=.

Monday 10 November 2014

CBI inquiry in the "corrupt" Food & Drugs Department, insists recommendations by FDA Inquiry Committee


A Inquiry Committee that was appointed by the State Government in 2013 to curb the corruption and malpractices in the Food & Drugs Department (FDA) has asked for CBI inquiry to put a check and also bring in transparency in the working of the FDA. RTI activist Anil Galgali who was instrumental in the whole process of getting the report has asked the government to make the report public. Anil Galgali has also appealed to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis to handover the commission report to the CBI, which in turn will investigate this report and may be instrumental in curbing corruption in the department.

An RTI was filed in by Anil Galgali, who in turn had to face a lot of flake in getting the report out from the Department. "The 159 paged report is a nothing but a highlight how public life is put at larger risk by FDA and how corruption has made this department "sick", said Galgali. The committee was formed by the Government on 21st January 2013 and submitted its detailed report only on 17th April 2014. As per the report under 3.16, drugs (Cost control) resolution (under essential commodities Act 1955) the rule states that the findings made by any such committee ,that has to do with basic necessities or endangering public life has to be inquired by a Central nominated agency. Under section 3.4 of the report submitted by the committee Controller will be responsible for any situation arising due to negligence which directly or indirectly will be endangering common person's life. Also as per section 3.3 the Government directly or indirectly has never intervened with the working of FDA thus resulting in negligence of duty and responsibility of the state ex chequer.

The 17 recommendations made by the committee has to be strictly followed and acted upon by the Government insists Anil Galgali. Last 40 years this department has been infested with corruption with political backing and the middlemen have made merry thus compromising safety standards. In this regard a CBI inquiry would definitely help to curb this corrupted department. To bring transparency is the key, which has been missing since long in FDA. Also this report, which is of utmost necessity for every common person, should be published by the government or made available on any Government Website, insists Galgali. For this purpose, he has written to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Medical Education minister Vinod Tawde and the Chief Secretary Swadhin Kshatriya. Another social activist Yajurvedi Rao who is active in the FDA, has demanded the recommendations of the Committee to be immediately taken into account by the Government and bring in the much required transparency in the department.

Thursday 6 November 2014

Rent, Charges for overstaying in Maharashtra Ministerial accomodation increased 5 fold


The practice of senior politicians in habit of overstaying in Ministerial bunglows even after submitting their resignations or stepping down from the position will now face obstacles as the govt has now increased the rent and other charges 5 fold to make the over stay unfeasable. Rs 5/- per sq ft was the rent till now which the govt was charging the overstaying ex ministers. From now on they would be charged Rs 25/-

RTI Activist Anil Galgali had filed an RTI query on 20th November 2012 after the resignation drama of then Dy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, seeking information on charges recovered for staying on in his official Devgiri bunglow. At that time it was informed that, Ajit Pawar was given permission to stay on for next 3 months out of which 1st 15 days was free of cost and from then on Rent @ Rs 5/- per sq ft and other expenses on cost basis was to be charged. Anil Galgali had raised the issue vide his letter dt. 28 December 2012 That the rent and charges fixed on 1st Nov 2006 was far less and unrealastic and the rates should be refixed as per realistic market prices. On 1st March the govt considered the request favourably and increased its rent by 5 times making it Rs 25/- per sq ft from now on for 3 months. Further if the occupant gets further permission for staying ahead of 3 months then the rent charged would be Rs 50/- per sq ft.

Anil Galgali has expressed satisfaction of the new rates and stated that the govt should be vigilant on these issues and take swift steps in future as well. Due to the efforts of Anil Galgali, the govt is now getting rent in lakhs which was in thousands till now.