THANE: The special General Body House of the Thane Municipal Corporation on Wednesday cleared two proposals to create a police station and two courts exclusively for TMC-related offences.
The four-hour long debate got underway as soon as the civic administration put up two separate resolutions before the special House. The first resolution sought the setting up of a separate police station for the TMC. The second resolution involved setting up of a fast track senior division civil court and an appeals court for TMC.Nandkumar Jantre, the civic commissioner informed the House that the subject was taken up due to a directive from the state government.
He informed the members that the state wanted to provide a separate police station and court for civic related offences and the TMC was to react to it in the form of response from the GB House. Jantre also made it clear to the House that the Mumbai High Court had come down heavily on the TMC for the spread of unauthorised constructions in the city. "The court has made it clear that it was not satisfied with the steps taken by the TMC to check the upcoming illegal constructions," Jantre said. He added that the resolutions were steps in the right direction to check illegal structures.
Under the proposal the corporation is to get a police force of 150 cops from the state home ministry. The cops would be led by an officer of the rank of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP). Four officers of the rank of Police Inspectors (PI) and 45 lower ranking police officers as well as 75 police constables and 25 women constables would be part of the 150 strong members police force for TMC.
The corporation already has a junior division civil court to handle its cases since 1996. The civic administration wants a senior division civil court as well as an appeals court to try all civic related cases including civil and criminal. The cases would include criminal cases relating to illegal constructions, octroi evasion, illegal parking, food and drugs adulteration, illegal hoardings and assaults on civic staffers.
The authorities would also avail of the courts to deny status quo orders as well as stay and injunction orders to builders of illegal buildings. So far such orders are mere cakewalks for the civic offenders due to the fact that the civic legal department does not represent the cases in the local courts on time Due to this builders get time to complete their ongoing illegal constructions and get them occupied.
The corporation will have to spend around Rs 4.25 crore from its treasury every year on the two counts. The commissioner feels that it is a good deal for the TMC to have a dedicated police force and fast track courts for it. Jantre also felt that TMC cops would investigate civic offences in a better way which would eventually lead to conviction of the guilty.
The members were however divided on the issue. There were allegations that the TMC's experience with its own police force in 1999 _ 2000 was not good. Instead of using an iron hand against illegal constructions the civic cops simply created one more table of corruption by offering least or no action against builders of illegal constructions in exchange for bribe.
Some members also argued that they did not require the massive police force as it would cost the TMC heavily. It was alleged that the corporation does not carry out developmental activities in backward class and slum dominated areas claiming lack of funds but is interested in the state government backed costly proposals.
Despite the sharp difference of opinion on the subject the House unanimously cleared the two resolutions. The proposals would be sent to the Urban Development ministry which will forward it to the state home and law ministry for approvals. The proposals would come into reality once the ministries give their sanction to the TMC resolution
courtesy:www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
