CMC meeting ends in chaos

Members argue over regularisation of daily wage labourers services

The general body meeting of the City Municipal Council turned chaotic on Tuesday when members argued over pending recruitments of daily wage labourers and not videographing the meeting proceedings.

The meeting was suspended for one hour. Though, the meeting resumed later, members failed to agree with each other forcing the president to put off the meeting.
Opposition leader M Prakash told the meeting that daily wage labourers have not been paid for six months. In view of the government’s direction to regularise daily wage labourers, the council should make their services regularised and pay them minimum wages.

At this, president M V Bhaskar replied that the issue will be discussed in the next meeting as the documents pertaining to the issue were with the commissioner.
Prakash also sought to know why the meeting proceedings were not being videographed, despite a direction issued in this regard by the deputy commissioner.

He said that the president has violated the rule. This resulted in a heated argument between Prakash, Bhaskar, Perikal Muniyappa and Rafiq. Observing that the arguing members would go out of control, president put off the meeting. Prakash and Muniyappa protested.

 Officials’ laxity decried

Fertilisers are being sold at exorbitant rates by private traders but the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to it, complained Zilla Panchayat vice-president B Savithramma.

Referring to a report appearing in Prajavani in this regard at the district’s progress review meeting here on Tuesday, Savithramma wanted to know why the agriculture officials have not initiated any action against it. Similar report has also appeared in Monday’s edition of Deccan Herald.

“Private traders are selling the product at their whims and fancies. The officials should raid such trade centres to protect farmers from being cheated,” she urged. Though, traders have been directed to sell fertilisers at fixed price, most traders have violated the direction. It is found that the product worth Rs 280 is being sold at Rs 350, she pointed out.

She was joined by ZP president M V Krishnappa and CEO B S Shekharappa who took agriculture officials to task. They asked the officials to cancel licence of such traders and initiate action action against them.