Thursday, December 10, 2009

Mla Sandeep Naik Makes His Debut By Taking Up The Issue Of Gutkha In State Assembly

MLA Sandeep Naik made his debut at the winter session of the state assembly by taking up the issue of gutka in the state.

It maybe recalled that a raid was recently conducted by the Food and Drugs department at Vashi in which huge amount of gutkha, adulterated with magnesium carbonate along with adulterated tea was seized. Consuming Gutkha can be injurious to health as this may lead to dangerous disease like cancer, while tea is a common beverage of people. This issue was taken up by Airoli MLA Sandeep Naik in the recently held winter session of the state assembly. His concerns were taken cognizance by the State Minister for Food and Drug department Ramesh Bagwe. In the state assembly when this issue was taken up by MLA Sandeep Naik in the question hour session, Ramesh Bagwe assured that the racket of adulteration will be busted. He further informed that in the case, one has been arrested and action will be taken under the Food Adulteration Prohibition Act.

Mla Sandeep Naik Orders Administration To Make Playgrounds With Private Schools Available For Public Utility

In the weekly Standing Committee meeting, the subject of bettering conditions of all city playgrounds was taken up by members. Chairman of the committee MLA Sandeep Naik called for better planning and conduct of these sports.

During the weekly Standing Committee meet, member Sudhakar Sonawne in a motion of objection questioned why was NMMC schools sports being organized on playgrounds that were not developed and were not fit for students to play any sport. Sudhakar Sonawane was referring to the regional sports meet of NMMC schools that were organized in a private playground. He alleged that the playground in question has full of wild growth of shrubs at several places and there were no sheds for protection from the scorching sun leading to the conduct of sports meet in very inhuman condition. Standing Committee Chairman Sandeep Naik however pointed out that at times conducting sports meets on such undeveloped grounds underlines the need and draws attention of developing these grounds. He called for better planning and conduct of these sports.

Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nahata clarified that earlier the corporation had no sports officer. He added that he had initiated the appointment of a sports officer and all the grounds have been surveyed and a report submitted, according to which each ground will be taken up for development subject to availability of funds. The question is “why is NMMC organizing sports a private ground when NMMC has invested over Rss 3 Crores in the construction of its own stadium in CBD Belapur?” Shivram Patil drew attention to grabbing of playground land by educational institutes in the city. He called upon NMMC to take over these lands and develop the same to make it accessible to children of the city. MLA Sandeep Naik called upon the Commissioner to prepare a status report of playgrounds adjoining educational institutes and take over the same fro public utility. He said that in the last few years, there have been a rise in the number of sports tournaments being organized in the city, which is a good sign and added that there was a need to make someone accountable in this department.

Incidentally almost all lands adjoining private schools in the city are taken over by leaders and relatives of past and present legislators or ministers in the ruling Congress-NCP government, which would blunt the local municipal body’s intentions. Speaking to the media later, MLA Sandeep Naik reiterated his take on the subject.