The Deccan Herald 04.09.2010
Drainage, civic works echo at CMC meeting
Chikkaballapur, September 3, DHNS:
City Municipal Council expressed dissatisfaction about the disinterest showed by the Council regarding drainage work in the City during an emergency meeting on Friday.
The conditions of the sewers are causing a lot of problems for the public. Yet the authorities in charge of the sewer work are showing no concern regarding relieving the citizens of such difficulties, they alleged during the meeting. The members opposed any work that created problems for the public.
The emergency meeting of the Council was called to discuss various issues including drainage work in the City as well funds provided by the Finance Commission. TheCouncil members started putting in matters related to their respective Wards just as the meeting began.
Problems related to issues like providing basic facilities and rain water flooding homes were discussed during the meeting.
The members spoke of how citizens had to cope with such problems everyday, and yet the Council looked the other way, as if disinterested.
Overcome by emotion, Council member Perikal Muniyappa complained that the Council saying the elected authorities mocked citizens who requested them to solve problems. “I am unable to reply to people who ask me why problems remain so,” he said, disapprovingly.
He gave the example of how the corpse of a person belonging to scheduled tribe could not be carried to the crematorium due to the bad condition of the roads. “I was elected through the votes of the members of the scheduled tribes. If I am unable to solve their problems, despite being a Council member, I will resign,” Muniyappa mocked the Council. He even threatened to stage a protest, bringing all people from his ward, if roads are not repaired immediately.
Council member Gayathri Raghu also asked for the reason for the delay in repairing roads that are dug up.
Replying to the questions put forth, Council Commissioner Umakanth said drainage work has been taken up after being requested for several years. “Such public work will naturally inconvenience the citizens. However, we cannot stop the work or find easy substitutes,” he explained.
He promised that the project would prove beneficial in the future. “The citizens should realise this,” he reminded.
President B A Lokesh Kumar, vice-president C Manjula and others were present.
DH news angers CMC members
Council members spent a lot of time discussing matters that appeared in a newspaper than about the problems and deficiencies in the 31 wards in the realm of the CMC.
Some of the members expressed anger about news that appeared in the Deccan Herald about drainage work. Without naming the newspaper, he said the reporters need not stress on problems.
S M Rafique said newspapers give greater importance to people’s problems than to the developmental works that are being carried on by the Council. Rafique also said reporters need to speak about such matters with Council members before writing anything. As if ignorant of the newspapers represented by the reporters, the members demanded that each reporter introduce himself /herself and mention the name of the newspaper for which he/she worked.
