Corporators refuse to bury their heads in sand
BJP councillors too against new policy
Cutting across party barriers, corporators on Thursday resolved to write to the government seeking its intervention over the new sand policy. Interestingly, it includes councillors from the saffron party who made no bones defying the policy formulated by their own party minister.
The issue echoed at the council meeting, where JD(S) corporator K T Chaluvegowda raised the subject. He was joined by fellow councillors — all from his party — Sandesh Swamy, Kempanna, Mahadevappa, R Lingappa, Prabhuswamy, Shivanna, Khamruddin, T Devaraj and Narayanappa, who trooped into the well. They demanded the mayor to write to the government seeking its intervention to either revoke the policy or simplify the same.
They argued that the sand that was earlier available for a meagre Rs 5,000 per load has touched Rs 30,000 — thus stymying the works of even Mysore City Corporation (MCC). The works undertaken by the local body under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) and another of drinking water under Kabini second stage have been stopped midway owing to non-availability of sand.
Meanwhile, BJP corporator Sunanda Palanetra refused to buttress the demand of JD(S) councillors. Surprisingly, in contrast to the assertion of the fellow councillor from the same party, leader of opposition in the council A V Vidya Urs said: “BJP will endorse the mayor’s decision. Eventually, it was decided to write to the government seeking its intervention.” Earlier, a group of mayor-led corporators laid siege to the office of deputy commissioner. A section of councillors from Congress and Janata Dal (Secular), led by mayor Pushpalatha Chikkanna, barged into the main entrance after breaking open the gate on the NCC canteen side.
The protesters who arrived in a rally from MCC were agitated to know that the gate has been locked. Furious, they forcibly pushed the gate breaking open the padlock even as the police personnel on security duty stood helpless.
The agitators, who assembled at the portico, raised slogans against deputy commissioner P S Vastrad. They alleged that the officer has insulted the mayor, the first citizen of the city, by locking the gate. “The deputy commissioner should have instead welcomed the mayor to receive the memorandum over the issue”, corporator P Devaraj said. Another councillor R Purushottam alleged that the deputy commissioner was acting like a despot.
Sandesh Swamy exhorted the deputy commissioner to apprise the medical education and district in-charge minister S A Ramdas about simplifying the sand policy that has turned into a juggernaut. The deputy commissioner sought suggestions if any from the protesters to simplify the policy. Interestingly, the corporators, accompanied by farmers in the protest, had also worn green shawl that has become synonymous with farmers.
Former mayors H N Srikantaiah and Ayub Khan and others were present.
