BMC yet to recover Rs 12 lakh from 5 disqualified corporators

A Right To Information query has revealed that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not recovered the dues of Rs 12 lakh from five out of 16 disqualified corporators during the last ten years.
Earlier, another RTI query had revealed that 16 corporators were disqualified in the last two terms (from 2007 to 2017) for producing wrong credentials, mainly false caste certificates.
Out of these 16 disqualified corporators, five have not returned the emoluments and other allowances and benefits received from the civic body, RTI query filed by the activist Anil Galgali has found.
Once disqualified, corporators need to return the emoluments, allowances and other benefits received in the official capacity.

Galgali had sought details about action taken against the disqualified corporators who had not paid their dues, if any.
In the reply, BMC furnished copies of notices sent to five disqualified corporators, namely, Lalji Yadav, Fatima Anjum, Anusha Kondam, Bhavna Jobanputra and Ishaq Shaikh.

All these were disqualified by the court on the ground of furnishing fake caste certificates.
"The total sum of dues from all five corporators is Rs 11.98 lakh. Lalji Yadav owes Rs 7,439, Fatima Anjum owes Rs 45,388, Anusha Kondam owes Rs 3,20,681, Bhavana Jobanputra Rs 3,65,428 and Ishak Shaikh Rs 4,59,230," Galgali said, citing documents received under RTI.

Recovering these dues was primarily responsibility of the secretary of the corporation, he said. "Instead of waiting for action by collector, Municipal Secretary's office must put up information of these erring ex-members on BMC website and also display it across all their offices," he added.
When contacted, a senior official from the Corporation said, "It is not true that we did not do anything to recover the expenses incurred on them. We sent several notices, but they have turned non-cooperative. We have also asked the collectors to recover the dues.