The Hindu 13.10.2010
Corporations of Delta, Mangalore sign pact
Staff Correspondent
| Delta Mayor says the port city has immense potential |
PACT IN PLACE:Mayor Rajani Dugganna (right) exchanging a copy of the Memorandum of Agreement for Economic Development with Lois E. Jackson, Mayor of Delta, British Columbia, in Mangalore on Tuesday.
MANGALORE: The Corporation of Delta, British Columbia Province, Canada, and Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Agreement for Economic Development.
Mayor of Delta Lois E. Jackson and Mangalore Mayor Rajani Dugganna signed the memorandum in the presence of councillors and officials.
In the memorandum, the two corporations have agreed to collaborate to promote and facilitate cooperation and exchanges between members of business community and in the fields of education, training, tourism and sports.
Ms. Jackson said Delta was well positioned to play a major role for business and industry from Mangalore. “We are both coastal communities with a large port, a strong agricultural base, a diverse local economy. We take pride in environmental protection. We are excited about the opportunities to forge relationships with your city and all you have to offer,” she said.
“Like Mangalore, we are a coastal community and we have to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. Delta is proud to have a progressive greenhouse gas emission reduction programme and we are interested in developing technologies for renewable energy and alternative energy forms,” she said.
In 2006, approximately 15 per cent of Delta’s population was from South Asia. “Delta’s own ethnic diversity made India an obvious choice for its economic twinning initiative.” While reviewing potential cities, Mangalore attracted attention. India had the second fastest growing major economy in the world. During the recent global economic slowdown, India’s economy clocked a growth rate of 6.7 per cent, she added.
Chief Administrative Officer of the Corporation of Delta George V. Harvie and Administrative Manager of Mangalore City Corporation Manjit Kaila were with Ms. Jackson.
K.N. Vijayaprakash, Commissioner of Mangalore City Corporation, spoke.
Earlier, councillors and officials of the corporation interacted with Ms. Jackson on different aspects.
She told them she received complaints from people directly, through e-mail and through telephone. She said Delta had very few slums. The garbage was segregated at source and the civic body collected it once in a week.
Ms. Jackson said her corporation issued building licences in commercial areas only after ensuring that such buildings had made parking provision.
She invited a delegation of Mangalore City Corporation to visit Delta.
She told presspersons that the two civic bodies would have to identify the specific areas of cooperation.
‘Vague’
Mariyamma Thomas, independent councillor, told The Hindu that there was no clarity in the memorandum signed on Tuesday. It was vague and she did not understand it. She recalled that the corporation had signed an similar agreement with Hamilton. She did not know how it had helped.
