Smart City CEO Manohare under departmental inquiry

Aurangabad, Feb 21: The district collector has submitted a proposal to the divisional commissioner to start a departmental inquiry against Babasaheb Manohare, appointed as the full-time CEO of the Aurangabad smart city. It is learned that Manohare committed major irregularities while working as the chief officer of the municipal council in Osmanabad.

After the state government appointed Manohare as the CEO of the Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Ltd (ASCDCL) on February 1. However, municipal commissioner Astik Kumar Pandey wrote a letter to the urban development department registering his objection to the appointment. Guardian minister Subhash Desai had stopped the appointment. Meanwhile, Manohare has sent a letter to the municipal commissioner stating that he is taking charge as the CEO of ASCDCL.

Appointment raised a storm

Allegations of irregularities in the work of Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Nagari Vasti Sudhar Yojana have been confirmed while Manohare was the chief officer of Osmanabad municipal council. Osmanabad district collector Kaustubh Divegaonkar submitted the proposal to divisional commissioner Sunil Kendrekar on January 29, according to which a departmental inquiry has been proposed against him, sources said.

Took charge on Feb 18

"The government has appointed me as the CEO of ASCDCL. I took charge of the post on February 18," Manohare said in his letter. Manohare has also given a copy of this letter to the principal secretary, urban development department, commissioner and director, directorate of municipal council administration, divisional commissioner, and district collector, Aurangabad. But in reality, Manohare did not accept the charge. It has come to light that he issued the letters without accepting the charge.

Political opposition

Efforts are being made by some political leaders in the city to prevent Manohare from becoming the CEO of ASCDCL. Shiv Sena leader Chandrakant Khaire has warned that Manohare will not be allowed to accept the post of CEO of the smart city project.