The Hindu            20.11.2013 

HDMC to issue notice over damage to footpath

The Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has expressed dissatisfaction over the repair of the footpath adjacent to the Karnatak Vidyavardhak Sangha (KVS) campus, and has decided to issue notice to activist Shankar Kumbi.

Mr. Kumbi, who is an executive committee member of the KVS, had dug up the footpath to plan saplings last month. He, along with KVS officials, planted saplings on the footpath without official permission.

HDMC zonal officer V. Shridhar told The Hindu that HDMC had issued a letter to the sangha for damaging the footpath. The KVS general secretary was asked to shift the saplings and rectify the damaged footpath. The saplings were subsequently removed.

Mr. Sridhar said the footpath was not repaired properly. “They (KVS officials) simply placed concrete inter-lock tiles using wet mud. The tiles are not sitting tightly on the surface. They may dislodge when it rains and pedestrians will suffer,” Mr. Shridhar said.

Mr. Shridhar added that HDMC was not satisfied with the quality of the repair work and had therefore issued an additional notice to the sangha. KVS authorities said the sangha was not responsible for damaging the footpath and passed on the responsibility to Mr. Kumbi. HDMC will issue a notice to Mr. Kumbi in a couple of days and ask him to rectify the damage, he added.