Nashik Mayor Orders Immediate Removal of 60 Ex-Military Personnel from Waste Management Duties
In a significant administrative move, Nashik Mayor Himgauri Aher on Friday directed the cancellation of appointments for 60 ex-military personnel who had been deployed by the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) to enforce littering controls and waste segregation protocols. This decisive action followed intense complaints from multiple corporators during a general body meeting, where they accused these personnel of harassing residents and forcibly collecting fines, leading to widespread public dissatisfaction.
Complaints of Harassment and Misuse of Authority Prompt Removal
The ex-servicemen, appointed on an honorarium basis through the anti-encroachment department, faced allegations of overzealous enforcement. Corporators detailed several incidents of alleged misuse of authority, including a case where an ex-serviceman reportedly collected a Rs 5,000 fine from a hotelier for contributing to a black spot, and instances on Gangapur Road where women were wrongly penalized for not segregating waste. Corporators such as Shahu Khaire, Gurumit Bagga, Shailesh Dhage, Ajay Boraste, and Pravin Tidme echoed similar grievances from constituents, highlighting a pattern of public distress.
Mayor Aher announced the immediate removal of these personnel, emphasizing that while the city holds deep respect for former military members, their methods of fine collection had sparked significant discontent. "They may be considered for self-defence-related roles, if needed in the future," she stated, suggesting alternative deployments that align better with their skills without causing public friction.
New Waste Management Strategy: Awareness and Proper Enforcement
In response to the controversy, Mayor Aher outlined a revised approach to waste management enforcement. She directed that only sanitary inspectors should impose fines on residents who fail to segregate wet and dry waste before disposal to garbage collection vans. This shift aims to ensure more regulated and fair penalty processes, reducing the risk of harassment.
Furthermore, the mayor mandated that the civic administration launch an extensive awareness campaign across Nashik, targeting students, citizens, and senior residents. This initiative will include distributing proper literature on waste segregation to educate the public before enforcement actions. "The focus must first be on creating widespread understanding and compliance through education," she emphasized, underscoring the need for a community-driven approach.
Additionally, Mayor Aher instructed officials to take strict action against large housing societies that are not processing waste within their premises as required under building norms, ensuring accountability at all levels of the waste management chain.
Broader Civic Issues and Recruitment Discussions
The general body meeting also addressed other pressing civic concerns, including:
- The poor condition of city roads due to digging by utility agencies like Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL).
- Irregular water supply in several areas, prompting calls for immediate remediation.
Mayor Aher announced that a special general body meeting will be convened to discuss these issues, along with other civic matters, to develop comprehensive solutions.
In related developments, the meeting covered the ongoing recruitment for 300 municipal posts—114 engineering positions across departments and 186 posts for the fire brigade. Written examinations are being held at 29 centers across 19 cities in Maharashtra, including Nashik, Pune, and Kolhapur. Some corporators demanded that exams be conducted only in Nashik, with preference given to local youth, and even sought cancellation of current exams for local re-conduction. However, NMC Commissioner Manisha Khatri clarified that the recruitment process adheres strictly to government norms.
Highlighting urgency, Mayor Aher stressed the need for recruiting technical staff in view of the upcoming Kumbh Mela, with less than a year and a half remaining to complete related infrastructure works. This underscores the critical timing of staffing decisions amid broader civic challenges.
