In Chikkaballapur, members avoid CMC

Its a bid to avoid citizens complaints

Work at the City Municipal Council has come to a virtual standstill as members are keeping away, to avoid taking to task officers who are missing on duty.

Worse, the CMC members are also unavailable for citizens to complain about issues. They can be reached neither in office nor, curiously, at home.

The new situation has continued in the last three weeks. Citizens, confused, can only speculate on the reasons for the strange behaviour of the members, and of course, express dissatisfaction over their behaviour.

“The CMC members were elected with the hope that the problems in the wards would be solved and amenities provided. Our conditions are only worsening with each passing day, but the members have shunned us completely,” say the citizens.

Reasons speculated

The change in the work style of the CMC is attributed to several factors.

The cold war between CMC president B A Lokesh Kumar and some other members is said to be one of them. M Prakash, a member, supported by 23 other members had met the CMC officers on March 23 and requested for a meeting to move a no-confidence motion against the president. The request is said to have been the starting point of a change in the environment at the CMC.

Representatives of some organisations have laid siege to the CMC demanding that the government supersede the CMC. A Public Interest Litigation was also filed at the High Court in the matter.

“The City has 31 wards. Although each of the wards has its own problem, shortage of water is the common factor as borewells are drying up. In addition, all roads are littered with garbage as the waste is not cleared in time,” complained P Srinivas, former CMC member.

“If we question the officers and members of the CMC, they promise many things, but do nothing,” he added.