JOIN USCorporators have said that the public toilets constructed in Kadri Park, Maroli and other places in Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) jurisdiction remain locked with nobody to maintain them.
Roopa Bangera, who spoke at the monthly meeting on Tuesday, said Rs 15 lakh had been spent to construct the toilet at Kadri Park. “Unfortunately, it is of no use. The public have been demanding toilets,” she criticised.
Sudheer Shetty said that the work on the public toilet at Pumpwell should be accelerated.
MCC Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer said that the Horticulture Department should take up the responsibility of maintaining the toilets inside Kadri Park. “I have already spoken to the Department deputy director in this regard,” said Nazeer.
When the proposal of renewing the contract for maintaining toilets at the old private bus stand, Central Market, fish market at Bunder and Mangaluru to five years instead of three years was placed before the Council, the corporators said that the contractors should be asked to maintain the toilets that remain locked.
The mayor agreed to the demand.
Commissioner Nazeer said that engineers have been asked to prepare an estimate to clean the stormwater drains at the earliest. “The tenders to clean the drains will be floated by January so that the work is completed by March-end, before the onset of monsoon,” said the officer.
Corporator Rajendra said that clogging of drains had resulted in inundation of low-lying areas in case of incessant rain for 30 minutes. “Measures should be taken to clear the drains and get the estuary desilted,” the member demanded.
Nazeer said that short tenders had been floated to clear garbage dumped on the Town Hall premises. All the garbage will be cleared within 15 days, he assured.
On the mushrooming of unauthorised petty shops, the commissioner said that the MCC takes up a clearance drive twice a month.
“The police should strictly ensure that the petty shops are not opened again on the cleared place. We need 100% support from the Police Department to ensure that unauthorised petty shops and street vendors do not encroach upon the footpaths and roads in the city,” said Nazeer.
Ganesh Hosabettu said that there is acute water crisis in 11 wards of Surathkal area. Of the three pumps at the pump house, two are defunct.
The mayor directed the executive engineer to visit the spot and rectify the problem.
The corporators also demanded reason for illegal hoardings not being cleared in city limits. They said that illegal hoardings have encroached footpaths on airport road.
The officer from the Revenue Department said that illegal hoardings will be cleared within a week.