JOIN USRow over hiring workers rocks Palike meet
Raising the issue, Leader of the Opposition, Udayashankar, said the garbage problem was severe, but the Palike had not taken the initiative to appoint 4,500 sanitation workers.
“The recruitment would have helped keep the City clean. Despite the government giving the go-ahead to recruit sanitation workers, Palike ignored the matter,” he said.
Joining the issue, T Mallesh and Sampath Raj demanded that Mayor Sharadamma and Commissioner Siddaiah should say when the recruitment process would begin. They also criticised the Palike for adding the clause of experience in the tender conditions for recruitment.|
Congress corporator Mallesh said: “What experience is required for sweeping the roads? This clause is delaying the recruitment process. The Palike can directly recruit them, instead of awarding the contract to agencies for garbage collection.”
As the mayor delayed in giving reply, the Congress corporators rushed to the well of the House raising slogans. The Mayor adjourned the House for ten minutes.
Later, commissioner Siddaiah said some concession given to weaker sections gave room for some people to go to court, as it was violating rules. The legal opinion sought in this regard by the Palike too found it was against the rules. As a result, some changes were made in the tender conditions. He assured the House that the matter would be resolved in a month or two.
Revenue woes
While the Palike is striving hard to increase its revenue, its revenue officers have failed to bring many industrial and business establishments into the property tax net.
Yediyur corporator N R Ramesh said the Palike was missing an opportunity to garner an additional Rs 250 crore by not maintaining a database on trade licence.
He said the Palike database suggests that there are about 4,300 industrial units in the City, which is way too short of KASSIA and FKCCI’s list of industrial units, having 1.1 lakh units. “The industrial associations’ lists also show 2,800 units are sick. If we remove them, then there are at least 1.08 lakh industries operational. The Palike is not tapping the revenue from industrial units. Instead it is content with Rs 4.5 crore,” said Ramesh.
He gave examples of MindTree, MTR and Anand Annamalai in Banashankari ward which are missing from Palike’s list.
Builders’ fraud
The issue of alleged land-grabbing by Mantri Builders at Swastik Station of Metro was raised by Nandini Layout corporator M Nagaraj.
Nagaraj asked why BBMP did not react immediately, like the Railways did, to protect its property and allowed the builder to approach the High Court and get a stay.
Another corporator Thimmananjaiah too highlighted the encroachment of stormwater drains and government land by Sobha Developers and Baptist Hospital.
In reply, the commissioner said Palike has served notice on Mantri because the blunder was by the Palike’s officials who gave khata and TDR to the builder. Regarding Sobha Developers and Baptist Hospital, the commissioner assured the meeting that no one would be allowed to grab government land.
Kambar becomes Kumbar
The Palike decided to felicitate Jnanpith award winner Chandrashekhara Kambar by presenting him Rs two lakh.
However, Leader of the House, B R Nanjundappa, pronounced the writer’s name as Chandrashekhar Kumbar thrice, while hailing him.
Yeshwanthpur corporator Munirathna went one step ahead. Displaying his ignorance, he asked other members to tell him the names of seven other Jnanpith award winners.
Udayashankar said it was a matter of pride for Karnataka as no other language in the country got eight Jnanpith awards.
Resolutions
* Rejuvenation of Dhobi Ghat at Akkithimmanahalli
* Probe into conversion of land and issue of khata in
Yelahanka zone
* Rs 25 lakh for works like providing potable water and drainage system
* Drum-beating drive to continue
* 20 dialysis units to be set up at a cost of Rs one crore for the elderly