Councillors come to blows at meeting on land for garbage unit

The members of the city municipal council sparred over securing land for setting up a garbage processing plant for Kolar, at the meeting held on Monday.

JD(S) member Mubarak, who raised the issue at the beginning of the meeting, said that Kolar was one of the two local bodies in the state which were facing the problem with a suitable location for setting up garbage processing plant. He said that a delegation of all councillors be taken to the deputy commissioner seeking site.

Other councillors - Narayanaswamy, Narayanamma, Nawaz and others joined the issue and urged municipal president Mahalakshmi to come to the deputy commissioner’s office.

However, Prasadbabu, Salauddin Babu of the ruling Congress, C Somashekhar and Manju of Varthur Prakash faction, took objection to the proposal. “The deputy commissioner is very much in the city. Let us first discuss the issues listed on the agenda. It is not right to cut short the meeting. Let us invite deputy commissioner to the meeting,” they said.

Prasadbabu said that the issue of renting out municipality site illegal to the Mahila Samaja School was on the agenda. “In order to avoid this matter to be taken up for discussion, you are insisting the municipal president to come to the deputy commissioner’s office. You have misled people for two and half years and it won’t be case henceforth,” he told Mubarak.

An irate Mubarak hit back saying that he was not a coward and was prepared to take part in any discussion.

But, before that, the members should meet the deputy commissioner and secure land for garbage processing unit. “Call a special meeting for discussing the issue related to renting out land for Mahila Samaja School,” Mubarak said.

Soon a verbal duel ensued between the ruling and opposition members and they came to blows. Pandemonium prevailed the meeting.

The municipality officials, who noticed that the situation was going out of hand, sought police help and policemen arrived at the meeting venue.

In the meantime, Renuka, the planning director of city development cell, who came to the meeting, pacified both the parties and explained the developments in connection with the land for garbage processing plant.

‘NoC not issued’

She said that 29 acres of government land were identified in Pombarahalli village of Kolar taluk for setting the unit. But, the Huttanur gram panchayat, under whose limits the land is located, has not issued no objection certificate.

But, municipal commissioner S A Ramprakash sought to differ. He clarified that the gram panchayat has issued the no objection certificate and the original copy had been sent to the deputy commissioner’s office. “The second copy has been sent to the city municipal office. The file came to my notice today,” he added.

Mubarak immediately alleged that though it had been a year since the no objection certificate was granted, the officials had not forwarded it to the government. He suspected “political conspiracy” in the delay. Renuka replied that the local people of Pombarahalli had opposed the plan when a team visited the place for preparing a survey sketch.

The gram panchayat had written to the state government directly, stating that it won’t issue the no objection certificate. Based on this, directions had been issued to obtain a fresh no objection certificate, she explained.

She suggested that a copy of NoC and other documents be submitted to the government again. The state government has allotted five acres near Arabhikottanur in the taluk.

While using this land for the purpose, steps should also be taken to obtain the land in Pombarahalli.

Meanwhile, Mubarak pointed out that tender has not been called for the supply of water through tankers to first to fifth wards.

The municipal commissioner said that there had been no bidders though the tenders were called thrice. He said that temporary arrangement has been made for the supply of water through tankers. Steps will be taken to invite a short-term tender again, he added.

The meeting discussed a proposal on purchase of tankers for the supply of water and adopted a resolution for taking steps on curbing increasing stray dog menace and repair roads damaged due to rain.

Municipal vice president N Sujatha and others members were present in the meeting.