JOIN USThe JD(S) corporators staged a demonstration at the entrance of the Council Hall. Raising slogans against the ruling party, the BJP, for the 'illogical’ cess and slabs to collect betterment charges, JD(S) leader in the Council Padmanabha Reddy said the Palike had failed to keep the City clean and now wants to use garbage cess as an excuse to claim that the citizens were responsible for the garbage.
Zero garbage zone
"Can BBMP ensure that the City would be a zero garbage zone, after collecting the cess?," said Reddy. The meeting began by honouring two officials, Engineer-in-Chief Gopalaswamy and Mayor's Personal Secretary Rajanna, who had served for many decades in the Palike as revenue officer.
Leader of the Opposition M Nagaraj raised the issue of garbage cess and betterment charges. The BJP corporators opposed Nagaraj for not allowing the Zero Hour to begin. This resulted in a bedlam as members of the Congress and the BJP resorted to heated arguments.
The Mayor told the Council that the cess was levied to comply with the norms for obtaining JnNURM grants.
He asked Nagaraj why he was not asking his party bosses to amend the JnNURM rules at the Centre.
Nagaraj also raised the matter of rampant corruption in the Palike and the lack of progress in investigation into corruption charges. Later, Congress members staged a walkout. JD(S) leader Padmanabha Reddy too raised the matter and asked the Mayor to spare the people of garbage cess.
The BJP members seemed to be in no mood to buy the argument of the Opposition members. The JD(S) staged a sit-in demonstration, compelling the Mayor to adjourn the Council meeting. The Council reassembled at 3 pm.