'Permission must for display of buntings, banners in Udupi'

In a bid to end erratic and uncontrolled display of buntings and banners in the city, the Udupi CMC has made it mandatory that permission will be required for such display in future.

Announcing this at the CMC General Body meeting on Friday, President Kiran Kumar said that no fee will be charged for granting permission. The display of date and permission number are mandatory from now onwards and they should be removed within 15 days. The CMC will start a drive from December first week to remove buntings and banners put up in the city without permission.

However, he said, the temples and other religious institutions are permitted to publicise their religious events without permission. A few members complained that buntings and banners were spoiling the beauty of the city.

With the term of the Udupi ending in the next couple of months, the focus of members shifted to development activities at the  meeting. Expectedly, the opposition Congress accused the BJP of failing to deliver goods and the ruling party strongly defending its work.

M R Nayak of the BJP drew the attention to the opposition party’s allegations that the CMC was a failure and wanted Congress leaders to provide facts and figures.

As the elections are a couple of months away, the Congress leaders are making baseless charges to gain political mileage, he argued. Angered by this, Opposition leader in the House Jayananda said the development work taken by the CMC was limited to widening some roads and installing street lights.

“Development does not widening roads and installing lights. There are many other issues that needed the immediate attention of the CMC,” he added.

He claimed that Rs 128 crore loan from ADB is still to be repaid. “The CMC could not properly implement its development agenda and it has completely failed to provide drinking water facility during summer. The improper drainage system in the extended areas of the CMC is in a pathetic condition in the 15-year rule of the BJP,’ he alleged.

Criticising the heavy tax levied within Udupi CMC limits, Jayananda said that Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) charges less than half the amount as tax for 600 sq ft house. Intervening, the CMC President  said tax varied from area to area.

Moreover, the MCC has its own powers compared to the CMC. The ADB loan was spent on River Swarna second phase drinking water project, drainage system and improving the basic infrastructure. “The Udupi CMC has won laurels from across the country for many of its novel initiatives. The CMC has sent a Rs 63-crore proposal to the government for approval to set right the drainage system in the extended areas,” he added.

The other issue discussed was the desilting of the River Swarna as it is already delayed. Member M R Pai said the desilting work should have been taken up long back.

The President said that a delegation of councillors will meet the DC immediately to convince him and submit a memorandum over the need for desilting of the Swarna River near Baje dam immediately.

“We have already given NOC to 12 members and they should submit thems to the Mining department to get the approval. We have completed all formalities from our side. We do not have problem with mechanised or manual desilting work. The desilting work will be taken up in the first week of December,” he added.