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Hassan CMC fails to provide basic services to citizens

Toilets and bus shelters are inadequate to meet the needs of city
Last Updated 27 March 2011, 16:14 IST
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The district which has the credit of providing the country with the Prime Minister, a Chief Minister and two-time PWD Minister in JD (S) leaders H D Devegowda and H D Revanna is still haunted by lack of infrastructural requirements like good roads except for a few pockets. The city presents itself in a poor light in urban infrastructure like bus bays and shelters and unregulated hoardings.

The CMC which is responsible for roads, street lights, bus bays and shelters, public toilets is in a slumber and the services on this front continuous to be fragile and poor. Experts believe that the CMC has failed to provide the taxpayers their due on the public services front in city. There are very few public toilets, the ‘Sulabh Sauchalaya’ maintained by the CMC. The existing 4 - 5 toilets are also maintained badly bringing the city disrepute on sanitation and hygiene.

While, there is very less application of thought for the bus shelters at a time when the Transport Corporation has begun city bus services. Any visitor to city can hardly find any bus shelters making it a nightmare for the commuters to stand for long hours in the open putting up with scorching sunshine in summer. The situation is no better in the rainy season when passengers search for a cover during heavy downpour.

Though, the CMC has planned to raise about Rs 58 crores this year, the spending on the essential civic amenity services in city received little priority. While, the Municipal council has been blind and has failed to crack a service tax whip on the hoardings and mobile towers that have mushroomed in recent years.

“Though there is a provision for the local administration to collect fee for the installation of hoardings and mobile towers, the Hassan CMC has failed to explore the income from this sector. It has resulted in a loss of not less than Rs 50 lakh a year,” experts say.

However, the authorities in the CMC justify their stand saying a Government order itself allows for the installation of mobile towers for the mobile telephone service. They are not aware that though the order existed, it comes with a rider to install towers as per local administration guidelines. 

Unfortunately, the CMC has never explored imposing tax on hoardings in public spaces.

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(Published 27 March 2011, 16:13 IST)

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