Aaditya Thackeray skips Mumbai district council meeting chaired by Shinde

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray skipped the Mumbai District Planning and Development Council (DPDC) meeting held at the World Trade Centre on Thursday which deputy CM Eknath Shinde chaired as guardian minister of the island city. In his first meeting as guardian minister, Shinde approved a ₹690-crore DPDC plan for the city district which includes south, south-central and central Mumbai.

While Aaditya stayed away, not wanting to attend a meeting chaired by his bete noire, other Sena (UBT) legislators such as Ajay Chaudhari and Mahesh Sawant as well as MLCs Sachin Ahir and Sunil Shinde attended since they wanted to put on record the demands of their areas.

The ₹690-crore DPDC plan for the city includes ₹132 crore for upgrading government and BMC hospitals. Shinde said that he would promote a ‘zero prescription’ policy in public hospitals like J J and KEM. The shortage of ventilators in public hospitals was also brought to his notice, and he said the BMC had to ensure that there was no shortage. He also asked medical education minister Hasan Mushrif and health minister Prakash Abitkar to look into the matter.

Speaking about the complaints of air pollution in the city, Shinde asked the BMC to restart deep-cleaning in the city and also curb the pollution caused by construction of buildings. He also instructed the BMC to resurface the Lalbaug, Parel and Matunga flyovers and beautify areas under all flyovers in the city.

The deputy CM announced that MHADA was coming out with a new policy of houses for working women, girl students, mill workers, senior citizens and police persons. The government also sanctioned ₹15.20 crore for a makeover of the Dongri Children’s Home.

Earlier on Thursday, Shinde addressed a meeting at Dadar for the speedy redevelopment of old buildings in Mahim, Dadar, Shivaji Park and Worli along with former Mahim MLA Sada Sarvankar of the Shiv Sena.