The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has included Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' official residence in its list of defaulters over pending water bills.
An RTI filed by activist Shakeel Ahmed Shaikh revealed that Fadnavis' official residence, as well as bungalows of several senior ministers, owe the BMC nearly Rs 8 crore in water bills.
Fadnavis’ bungalow alone owes Rs 7.44 lakh, PTI reported.
In response, the PWD in a statement on Monday, 24 June, said, “The water bills of the bungalows of CM and other ministers were paid in November. In the bill for May, a discrepancy was found in the bills paid earlier and dues. That is why the process of bill payment was stopped. After tallying, the process of paying all bills is under way.
The statement further said the bungalows are maintained by the PWD and it cannot be said that a certain minister did not pay his bills, The Hindu reported.
NCP Questions Maharashtra Govt, CM Over Bills
Citing the RTI report, NCP leader Dhananjay Munde asked if the chief minister and the ministers will face any consequences over non-payment of the bills.
“The chief minister and his ministers have kept water bills of Rs 8 crore of the BMC pending. Will the BMC, which cuts water supply of common citizens, exhibit courage to cut supply of the ministers' bungalows?” Munde asked on Twitter.
NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, meanwhile, said he would clear the chief minister's (bungalow's) bill to ensure the latter faced "no delay in taking bath" and that "there is no delay in the government's decision-making," PTI reported.
“He is Maharashtra’s chief minister, leader of all... I will pay the bill through cheque... the water connection (of his bungalow) should not be disconnected. He should not face delay in taking bath, washing mouth... this will result in delay in decision-making of the government, which the state can ill-afford.”Jitendra Awhad, NCP MLA
(With inputs from PTI and The Hindu)
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