THE upcoming monsoon is going to be a testing time for the flood-control machinery of any municipal corporation and Mira-Bhayandar is no exception. While the administration of the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) boasts of making elaborate arrangements to tackle any eventually arising out of flood situation during monsoon, certain colonies in urban areas and some of the villages in the low lying areas are still very much vulnerable to floods following heavy rains. MBMC commissioner Rajeev Jadhav has claimed that the private contractors deployed for the de-silting work had completed 50 percent work that commenced from 15th May on the eight zones while senior officials were directed to work in tandem for meeting any situation during the upcoming monsoon season. "Twelve Pocklain machines including five boat Pocklains, 15 JCB's, twelve dumpers and a strong posse of 500 workers have been deployed for the de-silting operations on a war footing speed," informed Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sambhaji Panpatte. "The Department is expected to spend about Rs 1.5 crores towards the work which is expected to be completed in the first week of June," Panpatte added. The MBMC also claims to have formed a special squad to check illegal dumping of debris into the nullahs by some of the construction companies. " Eight such dumper owners have been charged in the past few days for their involvement in such acts which chokes up the drainage system." an official revealed. But some of the corporators and local social organisations of this area rubbed off the claim of administration. They are simply not satisfied with the pace of work and have expressed their serious concern on this issue. Pointing out deficiencies in cleaning the large nullahs which enabled the flood waters to pass through, former corporator and president of Citizen's Front, Rohit Suvarna who visited different nullahs and culverts along the Western Express highway near Kashimira found that slush is still to be removed. The health department of the MBMC which supervisors the de-silting operation should get the culverts and the drains cleaned so that during the monsoon, there was no flooding. "However, efforts in that direction does not seem to be undertaken," charged Suvarna. Moreover the workers who have been deployed by private contractors for the de-silting work are the ones who are working as sweepers in the day to day cleanliness of wards sources revealed. " The contractors are yet to begin the de-silting work in the rural areas of Bhayandar including Rai and Murdha villages." Alleges Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) corporator Nayna Mhatre. "The nullahs running parallel to the railway tracks in Bhayandar are yet to be touched." Claims BJP corporator Om Prakash Garodia who along with a delegation of BJP leaders met the municipal commissioner in this connection on Tuesday. The de-silting work normally starts in the last week of May every year. But this year, due to the election code of conduct imposed in the district following the Thane Lok Sabha bypolls and an attempt by the powerful contractor lobby to escalate the rate contract tenders, led to the delay in work. Every year the MBMC formulates a pro-contractor tendering process and spends crores of rupees on flood-control measures, yet come the rains and most of the areas are inundated, thanks to the negligent attitude of contractors and rampant corruption prevailing in the affairs of the health department of the MBMC.