A 10-year-old HC order to set up EMRs across railway stations has started a war of credit in Thane region. A banner by Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde claimed that he put in a lot of efforts to set up EMR at Ambernath and Kalwa railway stations. While an RTI response from the Railways denied any request made by him or any politician for the EMRs. But the residents are well aware about the HC order. Bombay high court asked Railways to set up EMRs (emergency medical rooms) at railway stations in across Maharashtra 10-years back (March 26, 2009) after Mumbai activist Samir Zaveri filed the PIL in 2008. In the inaugural banner of March 9, 2019, Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde from Shiv Sena took credit for EMR set up at Ambernath railway station. "I never claimed that the EMR project was launched due to my initiative. But after the scheme was approved, I was successful in having EMRs at as many stations falling in my constituency," says Shinde. To get clarity on these claims, Zaveri put up an RTI (right to information) query with the railways. Responding to these queries, on March 23, 2019 the railway denied Shinde's claims. "No request has been received by the office of central railways from Dr Shrikant Shinde or any other politician regarding setting up of EMRs on Mumbai suburban stations on central line," read the RTI reply. "Shinde might have mentioned HC order in the letters written to the railways, but the banner is misleading. He should have mentioned HC order in it," said Zaveri. Falsely claiming credit for EMRs by Shinde has infuriated local residents. "Activist Samir Zaveri has worked hard to get EMRs for passengers. How can an MP claim credit for his work, by writing just two –three letters," said Satyajit Burman, president of Ambernath citizens forum. MP IN A FIX In the poster put up on March 9, 2019, Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde from Shiv Sena took credit for EMR set up at Ambernath railway station.

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