NAVI MUMBAI: The MSEDCL officials recently provided four electric meter connections to roadside hawkers in Nerul (east) under the ‘Prime Minister Scheme’. However, a city activist has raised the issue of irregularity since a total of eight hawker stalls are being run on just four meter connections. Also, the NMMC confirmed that the MSEDCL officials did not approach the civic body for this purpose. Hence, an illegality has occurred under the garb of Prime Minister Scheme which aids small-time hawkers and businessmen who suffered losses during the pandemic. Further inquiry is on in this matter.
“NMMC deputy municipal commissioner, D Chabukswar, has confirmed that they had not granted any permission for the hawkers. So, I have demanded an inquiry in this matter,'' said RTI activist Anarjit Chauhan, adding, “It is obvious that the hawkers are sharing their electricity connections, which is illegal and dangerous as it can lead to fire incident.'”
When TOI contacted the additional executive engineer at MSEDCL office, Kiran Dhanait, he refuted any wrong doing. “Only after seeing the Prime Minister's Scheme certificates of the hawkers, they were provided with four electric metre connections.” However, Dhanait was not able to explain how over eight hawker stalls got electricity.
