PATNA: Ward councillors locked the
Patna Municipal Corporation
(PMC) executive officer (Kankarbagh) Poonam Kumari in her office for over an hour on Monday. They alleged that her negligence led to waterlogging in the area.
Kankarbagh
police had to intervene and get the lock opened.
Pinki Yadav, councillor of ward number 32, alleged that Poonam held no meeting with them for clearing of drains, which eventually led to waterlogging. “We are facing people’s ire due to the prolonged waterlogging,” she said. Pinki said all the 14 ward councillors under Kankarbagh circle had met urban development and housing department (UDHD) minister Suresh Kumar Sharma demanding her removal.
“We had written a letter to the mayor in May about the work culture in Kankarbagh circle. We had stated that manholes and drains were not being cleared and heavy rainfall would create problems. Even in the PMC board meeting held in August, it was decided to take away financial and administrative powers of Kankarbagh EO. But the decision could not be executed as the then commissioner had resigned. Later, incessant rain caused waterlogging,” said Pinki.
Other ward councillors who were part of the protest included Archana Rai, Rani Kumari, Sheela Devi, Kumar Sanjeet, Raj Kumar Gupta, Mala Sinha, Prabha Devi and Kanchan Yadav.
Mayor Sita Sahu said the matter was also taken up in the PMC empowered standing
committee
meeting on Monday. “We will request the department to take her services back,” said Sahu.
Poonam, when contacted, said she was facing protests because of her strict working style. “I detected several anomalies, including financial in nature. For instance, same labourers were being paid for working at two different places at the same time. I ensured that payment is made only when the photographs of the labourer with the geographical area tagged is taken,” she told TOI. She denied any lapses on her part in implementing works, especially draining out water after heavy rainfall.
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