The Hindu              11.12.2013 

2 booked for utilising illegal water connections

Staff Reporter

The Water Board authorities have lodged a police complaint against two persons for illegally restoring water connections at L.B. Nagar on Monday. The malpractice was detected when the Board MD J. Syamala Rao along with officials of Task Force and Vigilance inspected disconnected water connections at Alkapuri section in Operations and Maintenance Division X.

Surprise inspection

The MD undertook a surprise visit to the Sahebnagar division office to take stock of the revenue collection and also inquired about disconnection notices to bill defaulters.

Later, he and other officials inspected several multi-storied buildings in Alkapuri and Vaishalinagar areas where at least one building in each section having recorded as disconnected in the record books was functional in the field. The Director (Revenue) was asked to verify similar cases and issue show cause memos to the concerned.

At H.No.11-13-20 in Alkapuri, the water supply connection of one such illegally reopened disconnection was physically disconnected.

The Hindu              11.12.2013 

Of BBMP projects put on hold, some may be revived

Staff Reporter

Such works will be selected by chief engineers following discussions with councillors and inspections

Some of the 1,970 projects worth Rs. 522 crore that have been put on hold and were deemed unnecessary by the Technical Vigilance Cell under Commissioner (TVCC) may soon be taken up. Mayor B.S. Sathyanarayana on Tuesday said that works deemed necessary would be taken up on priority basis.

After a review of the south zone of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), he said that he had already discussed the issue with city in-charge and Transport Minister B Ramalinga Reddy, who had assured him of getting some funds from the government.

Echoing this, Mr. Reddy said that only important works would be taken up. He directed BBMP officials to prepare a list of important works and submit the same by Saturday. “The chief engineers must discuss with councillors, conduct inspections and prioritise the works that are necessary. The list of these works should be submitted along with the road history. Unnecessary works will not be taken up,” he said.

It may be recalled that TVCC has been directed to review the works put on hold. Of the 1,970 projects, the cell has reviewed 695 works. Of these, it found that only two projects are necessary. The estimates of 559 projects were inflated while 74 had to be scrapped, it found.

But due to pressure from councillors and MLAs, there are concerted efforts to resurrect all the projects.

On radar

Later, Mr. Reddy directed BBMP officials to take up revalidation of the tax paid on all commercial properties in all eight zones in the city and complete the process by January 15. This, he said, would help bring in more revenue to the BBMP.

Concurring with Mr. Sathyanarayana, he instructed BBMP Commissioner M. Lakshminarayan to enlist the help of college students and voluntary organisations to complete the process. Earlier, Mr. Lakshminarayan said that the property tax collected so far is around Rs. 204 crore.