Corporators of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) run a body whose budget rivals that of many state governments. But when it comes to spending time in its library or using it, the corporators running the civic corporation with the highest budget fare poorly.

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As per the details received as a reply to an RTI application, only 11% of the total number of corporators used the library since 2007.

The applicant had sought details for the last ten years but were provided details for only the past three years.

The library, one of the oldest in the city, stocks over 2,500 books on the history of the city, novels on political leaders, books on laws, Acts and town planning, apart from books on comparative law. It is updated on a yearly basis. “This however, seems to be of no use for our corporators. It reflects poorly on them,” said Anil Galgali, the applicant.

Amongst those to have used the library the most is an assistant municipal commissioner, who borrowed books related to sanitation, drainage, finance, water, and other related issues.

Corporators have, however, issued books mainly on the life of leaders and novels on the history of the city.

The current mayor has never referred to the library, while the former mayor used the library on three occasions. The municipal commissioner too is yet to use it. Six corporators have not returned the books they had borrowed.

The BMC, in its reply, said they had to take action on them based on the information. “It shows that they just borrow the books for the heck of it and don’t bother to return them,” added Galgali.

Talking to DNA, Mridula Kulkarni, secretary of the corporation, said, “Some people have returned the books. In case they don’t, we fine them or ask them to get a copy of the same.”