The cold war between Municipal Commissioner Prashant Kumar and Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) Mayor Asha lakra has started emerging at surface now. Felt completely sidelined by more than 90 per cent of Municipal Councilors not coming to RMC Board meeting today, lakra has sent yet another show cause notice to Kumar, this time asking why he shouldn’t be held responsible for meeting cancelled today. Kumar has been given a time up to November 15 to reply.
The Mayor also came down heavily on Kumar alleging revenue loss to the civic body worth crores of rupees in Bright Neon Sign Private limited case. Notably, the Mayor has already locked horns with Kumar claiming that he was favouring the company by allowing it to use lED light poles established and maintained by one other company Phillips lightings for Bright Neon’s advertisement. She claimed today also that the company (Bright Neon) was given work without tendering process and an unnecessary hurry to get its paper cleared was shown by Kumar and Additional Municipal Commissioner.
“This is not the first show cause notice to him from me, neither is this the first time that I have been compelled to take his behaviour and modus operandi as non-cooperation with me. It is the duty of the officials headed by him to send proceeding files to me and to councilors on time. But even after I had issued notice regarding today’s meeting 20 days ago, he has appeared to have been ignorant towards meeting,” accused lakra. However, Kumar couldn’t be reached to come out with his version on the issue.The RMC has decided to organise its board meeting at 10th day of every month. But only five councilors out of 53 came for today’s meeting and went back after sometime. Though lakra said that she got a letter along with a medical certificate from Kumar later on the day stating that he acquired a fracture in his leg and hence he was not able to be in the meeting, she also said that the day-to-day affair diary of RMC from Kumar to her clearly mentioned that the Board meeting was to be held today.
When asked what was her ground not to consider herself cornered by councilors at first place, she said that it was not the case. “What will they get by sidelining meIJ We all want to get the civic body function in proper manner, including the councilors. But I can’t claim the same for some officials, who have repeatedly failed to furnish their duties,” said lakra. She added that the course of action would be declared after the time given to reply so cause notice passed.