Panvel Municipal Corporation
Patil said he had restricted anniversary decorations to October 1, covering only the PCMC headquarters and statues of historical leaders and national icons.
Mhatre, a corporator representing the Bhartiya Shetkari Kamgar Paksha (BSKP), alleged that the proposed expenditure was an “unnecessary waste” of taxpayers’ money and a public relations exercise by the ruling BJP administration. Patil said Mhatre was “misleading the media” with false information. He said the expenditure would cover two to three months of citizen welfare programmes, including health, education and socio-cultural events, and was part of the administration’s annual event budget.
Mhatre further claimed that the expenditure proposal had not been approved by the standing committee or general body and was not tabled at Tuesday’s standing committee meeting. He also directed that the Mayor’s bungalow not be decorated for the anniversary.