Following the MRI machines, it is the purchase of the electrocautery machines that is mired in controversy in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The corporators have alleged that the civic body is buying these machines at rates much higher than the market rates, and demanded an inquiry into it.
The civic administration has tabled a proposal of buying 25 electrocautery machines for the suburban hospitals at a cost of `1.12 crore before the standing committee. The electrocautery machines are routinely used in surgeries to remove unwanted or harmful tissues in the body.
However, objecting to the proposal, house leader Yashodhar Phanse said that the civic body had earlier bought these machines at a cost of `1.90 lakh each. The same machine is now being bought at an inflated rate of `3.15 lakh.
“The BMC is spending about `35 lakh more on the new electrocautery machines,” said Mr Phanse. To substantiate his point, he even presented the rate cards for these machines from private companies before the standing committee.
Supporting him, Samajwadi Party group leader Rais Shaikh said, “As many as 50 purchase files have been kept pending at the civic medical department since 2010. Hence, a probe should be made into all the dealings that took place in the last couple of years.”
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File affidavit for contempt: hc to raj
Age correspondent
Mumbai, June 17
The Bombay high court on Monday asked MNS chief Raj Thackeray to file an affidavit in the criminal contempt case filed against him by advocate Ejaz Naqvi for the MNS leader’s comments against the judiciary during an election campaign last year. Mr Thackeray had criticised the high court and Supreme Court for denying him the permission to hold an election rally at Shivaji Park ground, which has been declared as a silence zone by the high court.
“Issue notice to respondent 1 (Raj Thackeray) and other respondents. Respondents to file affidavit within four weeks,” the division bench of Justices P.V. Hardas and Mridula Bhatkar said.
According to the contempt petition, Raj had allegedly called the February 2012 decision of the Bombay high court refusing him permission to hold rally “partisan”.
“The aforesaid remark scandalises the high court and tends to lower its authority and dignity. The remark cast unwarranted aspersions of partiality against the Bombay high court,” the petition says.