Dr Vijay Rathod took charge as the new commissioner of Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) on Thursday evening and assured that the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak would be reined in the next few days.
Dr Rathod replaced Chandrakant Dange, who had held the job for the barely four months. He held a review meeting with the civic officials on Thursday evening.
He met officials and medical teams that have been deployed to combat the viral outbreak. His challenges will be to focus on areas, where the strengthening of measures is required. He has to identify the gap and filled soon. Citizens are hoping that he will carry forward the good work done by his predecessor Mr Dange. However, he will take another two-three days to come up with an action plan.
However, he didn’t take the questions from the media persons and said that he would meet in the next few days.
Dr Rathod’s name as the new MBMC chief by the Maharashtra government on Tuesday night. He is a 2014 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, who had served as the Assistant Collector and IPDT, Amravati and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gadchiroli Zilla Parishad. Dr Vijay Rathod holds an MBBS degree.
His major challenge would be to flatten the Covid-19 curve in the areas under MBMC’s jurisdiction and also to tackle monsoon-related diseases.
Protest on transfer
However, some women social activists have protested against the transfer of Mr Dange outside the MBMC headquarters. They were demanding to reinstate the commissioner, who was trapped under political tugs-of-war. They appealed that the state government should bring back Mr Dange amid the pandemic. “In the last four months, Mr Dange has converted the building of the ruins into the hospital. He is a capable administrator. Mr Dange has controlled the pandemic despite other municipal corporations were struggling. He was on the field when the netas were in the comfort of their bungalows, said Sarita Naik, a social activist
In the last 8 years, the city has benefited from 8 commissioners. But no commissioner has completed his term.
LoP Darekar’s view on the transfer
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Pravin Darekar has made a serious allegation on the transfer of four municipal commissioners that isn’t it a process to clipping down the wings of Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde with a gun on the shoulder of the Chief Secretary.
He targeted Thane Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde. He said, “Replacing commissioners is not the solution to fight with coronavirus. Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde had brought some of these commissioners. However, they are now been replaced. How state government is transferring senior officials, it seems that Eknath Shinde’s wings are being cut off by placing a gun on the Chief Secretary’s shoulder,” ‘said Darekar.
