The Hindu 07.03.2013
Garbage: ward panel members get the jitters
Close on the heels of the Karnataka High Court asking
citizens to hold ward committee members responsible for uncleared
garbage in the city, Mayor D. Venkatesh claimed he had received several
calls from anxious members offering to resign.
“The
members claimed they were disheartened by the High Court’s observations
and have offered to resign. Over the past two days, I have received
nearly 30 calls from ward committee members from across the city,” he
told reporters here on Wednesday.
The High Court’s
observations appear to have burst the bubble of initial zeal displayed
by several people to become members of ward committees.
Accountability
A
senior councillor, who requested anonymity, said that some members of
ward committees were not willing to be held accountable for the city’s
garbage problem. “The members were nominated to the committees. They
felt unmotivated as it seems that that they will be made scapegoats in
the wake of the High Court’s observations,” the councillor said.
On
Monday, the High Court said that the citizens can file an application
before the court if neither the councillor nor ward committee members
respond to their requests to clear garbage in their ward.
Mr.
Murthy said that the committee members were scared that they may have
to face the wrath of the court. “Truth be told, some committees have not
been constituted as per the law. I have requested the members not to
take any hasty decision. We will discuss the issue with the party
leadership and convene a meeting of all the ward committee members in
the BBMP head office soon,” he added.
N. Nagaraju, BJP leader, claimed that he too had received many calls from ward committee members.
“The
ones who are apprehensive of the court’s punitive action are mostly
retired officials and senior citizens. They are volunteering their time
and services for the city and feel that it is not right for the court to
target them,” he said.
