Speaker asks govt to tackle gastro in Mumbai

Mumbai, Mar 18 (UNI) Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar today directed the government to convene a special meeting to formulate plans to tackle gastroentritis in Mumbai.

The directives came after the Question Hour when members-- Basheer Patel, Bhai Jagtap, Annie Shekhar, Dagdu Sakpal--cutting across party lines, demanded a comprehensive strategy to tackle the situation arising out of gastro illness.

Congress legislators accused Shiv Sena-BJP, which is in power in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), of ''inaction''. Sena MLA Dagdu Sakpal, on the other hand, demanded a package from the government to the Mumbai civic body to revamp the century-old storm water drainage system and also a compensation to those who had died of gastro.

BJP member Raj Purohit wanted the government to abolish octroi and brought to the notice of the House the agitation by traders on Monday. Narsayya Adam (CPM) opposed any move to abolish octroi, stating that it earned the government a revenue of Rs 5,000 crore besides generating employment.

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