Mumbai, the financial capital of India is struggling due to the most number of COVID19 cases in India. The public health-care system is overwhelmed as COVID19 patients pour in and hospital staff work around the clock. Medical care for non-coronavirus patients has been shut off due to a lack of resources. Maharashtra, on Wednesday, July 1 recorded 5,537 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the total count to 1.8 lakh. With 198 deaths also recorded on the day, the toll crossed 8,000 as the state clocked 100 days of lockdown. With 1,487 new cases and 73 deaths, Mumbai has touched a total of 79,145 positive cases and 4,631 deaths alone.
During such pandemic, what would be worst is to see a few taking advantages of the situation and loot taxpayers money. As per report dated June 26, The Mumbai Mirror reported that Romell Realtors had been awarded the contract to supply beds and medical equipment to the BMC COVID Care Center, even though the firm allegedly has no experience in this field.
The BJP MLA from Mulund alleged that the scam is bigger than the Common Wealth Scam, as the contract was awarded to Romell Realtors without any tender or work order. BJP has alleged BMC over irregularities in awarding a Rs 10.9 crore contract to Romell Realtors to set up the Nesco COVID Care Center in Goregaon and supply medical equipment.
BJP Group leader in the BMC, corporator Vinod Mishra also alleged that “He (Romell Realtors) is charging Rs 100 per day per fan for 90 days. This amount is Rs 9000. New high-end fans are available for Rs 6000. So this is a big scam. There must be an independent enquiry against all officials who handed the file.”
Yesterday, BJP approached the state’s anticorruption over alleged BMC irregularities. BJP MLA Ameet Satam filed the complaint with Lokayukta ML Tahaliyani demanding an independent investigation into it.
Not just the BJP, but also Congress who is part of ‘Maha-Vikash Aghadi’ government also alleged the BMC. Opposition leader in the BMC, Congress corporator Ravi Raja has also written to Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, to stop all payments immediately to Romell Realtors.