Maharashtra: BMC to provide commandos to AMCs

Mumbai, May 18: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities have once again decided to give adequate protection of commandos to senior officials while they are on a demolition spree, after an Assistant Municipal Commissioner (AMC) was attacked by encroachers yesterday in the western suburbs.

The AMCs will be provided with two BMC commandos while they are on a demolition spree. With the monsoon nearing, many spots in and around the nullas and other various pipes will be cleaned, thereby resulting in public outrage. It has forced the BMC administration to take the step.

Yesterday, AMC of K East ward Babasaheb Pawar was on duty and was demolishing an encroachment that was built on a drainage line. The encroachment was on Dindoshi nulla and the removal of the slum was important for the various projects that was undertaken by municipal authorities.

Mr Pawar said ''Accused Amar Shaikh and his mother Sultana Shaikh initially threatened the officials who had gone to the site for undertaking the demolition.'' Mr Pawar said since his officers had been threatened, he decided to go there personally and supervise the demolition. When he was overseeeing the demolition, he was allegedly attacked by the two accused and an accomplice, who doused the AMC with kerosene. The accused were trying to harm Mr Pawar, when his colleagues and the locals stopped Shaikh from doing further harm.

A case has been registered against the mother-son duo for stopping a government official from doing his duty and encroaching on a nulla.

Unperturbed by this incident, Pawar went ahead with the demolition and has removed all the encroachments on the Dindoshi nulla so as to clean the drains.

''Earlier, the AMCs were provided with BMC commandos but they were stopped after some time. But after this incident, the higher officials have decided that all the AMCs will be provided with security so as to help the officials do their duty without any problem,'' he said.

The Dindoshi police have registered a case against Shaikh, his mother and their accomplice, who is absconding.

A few years ago, former Deputy Mayor Dilip Patel was stabbed by slum dwellers in Jogeshwari when he was over seeing the demolition that was taking part in his ward.

UNI