M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, June 5: The Municipal commissioner of the Medininagar Municipal Corporation (MMC), Sameera S, a 2018 batch IAS officer saved the corporation from plunging into a crisis of unprecedented nature.
Notably, rumours were spread about the ‘removal’ of a city manager in the corporation areas, Pradeep Kumar, in the midst of the meeting of the corporation board. Kumar is the nodal officer for cleanliness.
The decision to remove this city manager was given by mayor Aruna Shankar, deputy mayor Mangal Singh and the ward commissioners of the MMC.
However, it is noteworthy that no municipal corporation in the state has been empowered to remove any officials sent by the state urban development and housing department.
The corporation however has all the rights to pass a resolution against the officer and recommend removal of the officer from its set up to the parent department.
Sources said that a recommendation for removal against a person and announcing removal of a person are very different.
The rumours were even spread as the meeting was going on. This began with a message sent on WhatsApp, which was sent before the meeting concluded.
The MMC did not issue any official statement till late at night in regard to any of the numerous issues that were raised in the board’s meeting held on Saturday. However, citing lack of time, the municipal commissioner Sameera S issued a precise WhatsApp note which was self explanatory.
Notably, in the message, Sameera S wrote that all procedure (s) have to be followed before removing any officer or staff. She also wrote there is no written complaint from the WCs (ward commissioners) against the nodal city manager Pradeep Kumar.
She further wrote that this matter was ‘directly’ brought in the agenda for the board’s meeting and that there was a unanimity of decision to serve show cause notice to this city manager and also that this officer be given ‘opportunity’ to be heard.
The deputy mayor Mangal Singh while talking to a lagatar24.com correspondent said, “We all wanted to have our municipal corporation areas to be clean. We want drains to be cleared before the onset of the monsoon along with regular fogging.
However Singh added that the city manager Kumar who is also the nodal officer for the cleanliness in the area lacks will and determination to get things done.
Singh said, “The city manager Pradeep Kumar ought to be working more as the aim is to have a clean corporation area.”
Meanwhile, Pradeep Kumar who was asked why he draws so much controversy for himself said, “I do not know. I work quite sincerely.” He further said he would put everything straight soon.
