The Hindu 27.07.2013
Assembly passes municipal corporations (amendment) Bill
Opposition united on need for public toilets
The Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2013, which proposes penalty on those who do not segregate dry and wet waste and those who litter public places, was passed in the Legislative Assembly on Friday.
Though Opposition members supported the Bill, they took objection to some of the clauses, especially on imprisonment. However, they were united on one issue: lack of public toilets.
Imprisonment clause
The former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar was against penalising people without providing alternatives. He said it is necessary to frame laws which are implementable. “The imprisonment clause is dangerous as it could be misused by the authorities,” he said.
The former Home Minister R. Ashok favoured giving more time to people to understand the Bill, besides underlining the need to have more public toilets, especially for women.
Apathy
He observed even as there is a provision to penalise the common man, the Bill does not penalise civic bodies, which are apathetic in extending civic facilities to them.
BJP member C.T. Ravi pointed out that the Bill did not have any information on disposal of e-waste, which was dangerous to health. S. Suresh Kumar of BJP stressed the need to take stakeholders into confidence on the matter.
Y.S.V. Datta of the Janata Dal (Secular) appealed to the government against making village “dustbins” in the guise of cleaning cities. The Opposition supported the Bill after an assurance from the government of taking their suggestions seriously.
BMRDA
Another Bill tabled by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, which helps retain Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) Act, 1985, even after formation of the Metropolitan Planning Committee, was passed without a discussion.