Chief Minister Narayan Rane, also keen to project the administration as a well-oiled machine, recently convened a meeting with Municipal Commissioner Girish Gokhale and Police Commissioner R H Mendonca to discuss the problem of the omnipresent shanty and its wanton proliferation in Mumbai.

Gokhale, however, has taken umbrage at the onus placed on the civic authorities, saying the Police Department should share the blame. Citing a Government Resolution, he told Express Newsline that the senior inspector of a local police station apart from the civic ward officer should be held responsible for what has become the scourge of the country's busiest capital city.

Pointing to the suspension of three wardofficers last year, Gokhale told Rane last week that the police had not initiated any parallel action against their own staff. In fact, he insisted that erring police officers face the music.

He says former chief minister Manohar Joshi had repeatedly stated that the state government would take strict action against the senior inspector of local police stations for turning a blind eye to illegal constructions.

That, however, turned out to be an empty threat. ``Not a single police officer nor havaldar has been suspended till date,'' says a miffed Gokhale.

Conversely, three ward officers and 15 sub-engineers and junior engineers have been suspended following complaints from citizens, he underscores, adding that a departmental inquiry has also been initiated against the ward officers in question. One of them has even retired since. ``Why should the BMC alone be blamed when the police is equally responsible by law,'' asks Gokhale. He says the general perception that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation isthe sole agency for monitoring and demolishing these structures must change.

Civic officials point out that the police remain unmoved even when illegal constructions are built next door to their chowkies. Sometimes, they also connive with the persons responsible for this - and get away with it.

However, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dr P S Pasricha defends the force, thrusting the responsibility right back into the BMC's quarter. He says it is the basic duty of civic officials to verify whether constructions are legal or not since they are the ``experts in this field''.

If the local police station is able to detect these parasites, why not the local ward office, which is situated in the same area, he argues. He claims it is the duty of civic officials to serve notice to the owners under the Metropolitan Regional Town Planning Act and then proceed.

Action against police officers is warranted only if they fail to assist the BMC in demolishing illegal structures, Dr Pasricha says, addingthat such cooperation has always been extended. ``All we have to do is provide police protection to the demolition squad so that the structures can be razed without difficulty,'' he says.

Following Gokhale's mini-tantrum, the chief minister at last week's meeting assured the commissioner that the 400-odd policemen with the deputy collector would also assist the civic staff to step up demolitions in the city's 23 wards. Usually, the civic demolition squad receives protection only from the local police station.

But even though the commissioner failed to get the Police Department to own responsibility, he still insisted at a meeting with ward officers on Tuesday that the demolition action should be stepped up. He also asked them to submit a list of persons to be booked under the MPDA by April 28.