Thane, February 18 BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar has demanded that the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in Maharashtra present a 'white paper' on the functioning of its property department, alleging improper use and leasing of civic properties in the city.
Kelkar raised the demand during a meeting with Thane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao on Tuesday, where a range of civic issues were discussed, a release from the legislator's office said.
The Thane City MLA alleged that the civic body's property department controls hundreds of properties, many of which are being misused or rented out without proper transparency.
The MLA demanded that such properties be reclaimed, notices be issued to those concerned, and a comprehensive 'white paper' be published detailing the department's assets and transactions.
The commissioner directed the officials concerned to take appropriate action on the issue.
Kelkar also flagged the plight of a large number of contract workers engaged by the TMC, alleging that contractors were exploiting them and failing to pay minimum wages or provide mandated facilities.
He further highlighted the large number of pending inheritance rights (heirship transfer) cases in the civic body and demanded their speedy disposal.
Kelkar also urged the civic administration to expedite the proposed 'Colour Museum' project in Thane, saying a world-class facility could be developed in the city.
The BJP leader said he had been consistently pursuing the project for the past year and called for immediate steps to promote it.
He also raised the issue of a 2017 incident in which a local resident died after a tree fell on him. He said, despite earlier assurances, the deceased's wife had not yet been given a promised job in the municipal corporation. The commissioner took note of the matter and directed officials to act.
Kelkar further demanded strict implementation of the hawker policy, claiming that in the absence of enforcement, unauthorized hawkers had multiplied, leaving no proper space on roads and footpaths for pedestrians.
