Ready to tackle H1N1: Palike chief

The BBMP Commissioner Shankarlinge Gowda has allayed fears about the spread of H1N1 in the City.

Speaking at the Council meeting on Monday, Gowda saidthere was no need to panic as adequate measures had been taken to tackle the flu. It has so far claimed five lives in the City. 

Gowda said the five people who had died of H1N1 were not from the City, but were brought from neighbouring towns. He informed the Council that there was enough stock of anti-viral drugs in the Palike hospitals. Congress corporator M K Gunashekar sought to know the measures taken to check H1N1. He also wanted to know whether BBMP hospitals were prepared to treat H1N1 cases.

“It is not an epidemic. So, there is no need to panic. Getting unnerved by H1N1 will stop people from coming to Bangalore. This way, the City will lose business,” he said.

Wall paintings

BJP corporator C K Ramamurthy raised the issue of the fading wall paintings and posters, which were defacing the City. The Commissioner said painting the walls was a good project and should be continued. The Council should pass a resolution to punish people for defacing government building walls with at least six months’ imprisonment, as in West Bengal. Most of the corporators agreed with the Commissioner’s suggestion.

Property tax rebate 

Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy has extended the deadline to avail the five per cent rebate on property tax to May 30 from April 30, providing relief to property owners in the City. It was extended following requests by corporators.

BBMP, thanks to the rebate, collected Rs 410 crore till April 27. The Palike officials hoped that by April 30, the revenue would have gone up by another Rs 100 crore.