Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said there was no dearth of funds for development of Bhiwandi town in the district.
Addressing a meeting after inaugurating the Rs. 62 crore Vanzarpati Naka flyover, Fadnavis called upon citizens to take “ownership” and help development of the power-loom town.
However, senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, who is PWD minister and Thane’s Guardian Minister was conspicuous by his absence in the programme.
Fadnavis also laid foundation stone for the Rs. 125 crore Rajiv Gandhi-Saibaba flyover in Bhiwandi.
The Chief Minister said a city that has proper infrastructure but if it is not clean, neat and hygienic then it cannot be considered as a good city.
“There is no death of funds for development of Bhiwandi. The state government will do all possible things for the (development) of the city,” he assured.
“You (citizens) should not simply depend on the state government and the civic corporation, but you should have a sense of ownership, then only the town will improve” he said.
Taking a dig at the Congress and NCP, the Chief Minister said it was observed that the previous government had not paid much attention to the needs of the non-urban towns.
“We have decided to extend a helping hand to them (such towns) but at the same time we also need something in return from you (citizens), that you should help in keeping the city clean,” he added.
He reiterated his earlier observation that most of the rivers were polluted not on account of industrial waste but due to domestic waste water which was around 90 per cent.
“There should be reduction in generation of domestic waste water. The three areas which need to be attended to in any city are provision of potable drinking water, waste water treatment and its disposal and garbage disposal” he said.
Fadnavis said that the proposed water supply project
of 100 MLDs for the town costing around Rs. 568 crore suggested by the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) and civic body, would receive due attention.
“We will try for viability gap funding from the Centre,” he said.
The Chief Minister also announced funds worth Rs. 10 crore for road works apart from Rs. 25 crore for improvement of Meenatai Thackery auditorium, underground water drainage and road concretisation work.
Bhiwandi MP Kapil Patil, MLAs Kisan Kathore, Ganpat Gaikwad, MMRDA Commissioner UPS Madan and District Collector Ashwini Joshi were present on the occasion.
Other Shiv Sena leaders from the district “boycotted” the function.
