Pulled by Gujarat HC, Surat civic chief Shalini Agarwal goes berserk
The civic chief has issued show-cause notices to two distinguished civic officers, KH Khatwani and Rohit Patel, for alleged negligence in the purchase of JCB machines
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Surat : Shalini Agarwal, Surat civic chief, appears to have gone berserk a day after tendering an unconditional apology to the Gujarat High Court after being pulled up for not taking court proceedings seriously. The civic chief has issued show-cause notices to two distinguished civic officers, KH Khatwani and Rohit Patel, for alleged negligence in the purchase of JCB machines on Monday.
Khatwani is the head of the Surat Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) workshop department, and Rohit Patel is the workshop department’s executive engineer.Sources said Patel has a tainted past while being on the post of the executive engineer for a long time.
According to the show-cause notice, the duo failed to provide the municipal commissioner with detailed information regarding the purchase of the JCB machines.
Following the Gujarat High Court’s warning, the civic chief has increased her scrutiny, particularly of department heads and executive engineers. Even if she discovers minor errors by the officials, she does not hesitate to issue show-cause notices or suspension orders.
Shalini Agarwal is the only IAS officer to have faced the wrath of the Gujarat High Court in the SMC’s long history. RJ Makadia, a retired IAS officer, was relieved as officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Limbayat zone a day after the HC summoned Agarwal over property demolition.
The HC was irritated by a petition filed by one Dinesh Vakhariya, who complained about the SMC demolishing his 50-year-old property and turning it over to a third party while the case was pending before the HC.
“Madam, be careful next time,” Justice Nirzar Desai told Agarwal when she appeared before the HC bench on Monday.
There is speculation in municipal circles that Agarwal is at odds with elected officials, particularly Surat Mayor Hemali Boghwala and Standing Committee chairman Paresh Patel. This was evident when Agarwal did not attend the elected wing’s first ‘Halwa’ party held ahead of the SMC budget session last month.
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