The municipal corporation of Haridwar is fast becoming hotbed of politics between the mayor Anita Sharma of the Congress and BJP councillors. The Congress workers led by the mayor’s husband ghearoed office of the municipal commissioner and locked the gate of Haridwar Roorkee Development Authority disrupting work of officials for half an hour on Thursday.
The monsoon season is here but the drain cleaning has not yet started, which has elicited protest from the traders. The attitude of KRL company employees involved in door to door garbage collection and some Congress and BJP councillors has led to deterioration of sanitation in the city.
In the month of October last year Anita Sharma had become the mayor but from 34 wards out of 60, BJP councillors were elected and are generally in confrontation with the mayor. All the meetings held by the municipal corporation have proved futile with nothing fruitful being achieved to improve sanitation in the city.
When asked, municipal commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey said the work is being done as per the available resources.
"Municipal corporation has its priorities according to the directions laid down by the state government and there is no politics going on among the workers. We are doing whatever is in the welfare of the people and sanitation workers have been asked to do their work sincerely. Anyone found neglecting his duty will face stringent action," said Pandey. By June 30, the city will be garbage free and cleaning of drains will start, he added.
Meanwhile, Congress worker Ashok Sharma said,"We have given written complaint to the Chief Minister about the the inaction of municipal commissioner who openly talks of not taking any action in the matters of discipline and sanitation."
Sharma said that despite strike by KRL company workers during festivals like Somvati Amavasya, no official checked the sanitation in the city.