Maharashtra: Over 3 lakh rat-kill tablets placed in secretariat
What's the story
More than three lakh poison tablets were placed in the Maharashtra secretariat in May 2016 to check the rat menace, a state Minister said on Monday, clarifying that it was not the number of rodents killed in the exercise. The Minister's clarification came after senior BJP leader and former Maharashtra Minister Eknath Khadse demanded an inquiry into the matter. Here's more.
The contract
Khadse questioned how the task was accomplished in a week
Khadse had last week demanded an inquiry into the way a contract to kill rats in "Mantralaya" or the state secretariat was executed. How could the company which was given the contract to kill 3,19,400 rats in Mantralaya accomplish the task in a mere seven days? Khadse had asked on March 22, while speaking in the Legislative Assembly.
The issue
Contract was given to M/S Vinayak Mazoor Sahkari Sanstha
Making a statement on the issue in the Lower House today, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Chandrakant Patil said, "3,19,400 is the number of poison tablets placed in 'Mantralaya' for the eradication of rats and not the number of rats killed." The contract of putting the tablets in the secretariat premises in south Mumbai was given to M/S Vinayak Mazoor Sahkari Sanstha.
Time frame
The time frame for completing the work was two months
The time frame for completing the work was two months. But, it was done between May 3-9 in 2016, Patil said. Khadse had last week said: "A survey found that there were 3,19,400 rats in the secretariat. A work order was issued by the General Administration Department. The company was given six months. But it claimed to have killed them in just seven days."
Quote
What did Khadse say?
"It is very surprising that this company killed over three lakh rats in just seven days while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation took two years to kill six lakh rats. There is a discrepancy in the claim made by the company."