Amol Yedge takes charge as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar civic chief

Chhatrapati Sambhajingar: Amol Yedge on Saturday assumed charge as the new chief of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation, ending speculation over the leadership change, even as senior ministers publicly backed an extension for incumbent G Sreekanth.Transfer orders of several IAS officers, including Sreekanth, were released on Thursday. District guardian minister Sanjay Shirsat and OBC welfare minister Atul Save openly stated that they would make efforts to stall Sreekanth's transfer, citing the need for continuity in key civic projects, particularly the ongoing water supply schemes. Both politicians publicly stated that they would approach chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to reconsider the decision. Ministers backing Sreekanth also argued that replacing him at this stage could delay project execution and impact service delivery in the city.Due to these statements, Yedge abstained from reaching Sambhajinagar on Friday to take charge. Yedge last served as Kolhapur district collector."Yedge got a message from the state on Saturday to reach Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and take charge as municipal commissioner. Accordingly, he reached and took charge at 4.30 pm," said a senior official.Yedge's appointment now places the responsibility of continuing these projects on his shoulders. Officials said the incoming commissioner is expected to review the status of ongoing works, including major water supply initiatives, and ensure that deadlines were met without disruption.