The Hindu 08.12.2010
Roadworks fund diverted: Congress
Staff Correspondent
Mayor approved a Rs. 3.69-crore plan
Many roads need urgent asphalting
MANGALORE: The Congress, which is the Opposition in the council of Mangalore City Corporation, alleged on Tuesday that the civic body has diverted Rs. 3.69 crore grant sanctioned specifically for asphalting roads to other works.
Leader of the Opposition Ashok Kumar D.K. told presspersons that Mayor Rajani Dugganna had approved an action plan for Rs. 3.69 crore in advance without tabling it in the council meeting for debate and its approval. The Government had sanctioned the fund under 13 {+t} {+h} State Finance Commission Scheme for 2010-11 for asphalting roads.
Mr. Kumar alleged the corporation had diverted the grant in the case of 12 works. An agenda on the subject placed at the October 29 meeting of the council said the Mayor had approved action plan anticipating the approval of the council. He wanted to know why the corporation did not want a debate on the action plan.
The action plan, drawn with diverted funds, was for purchase of a generator for Town Hall and two generator sets for the corporation's office at Lalbagh, development of parks at Marutinagar Extension at Surathkal and seventh block at Katipalla-Krishnapura, fixing streetlights on Lalbagh-Circuit House Road and KSRTC bus stand-Kuntikana Road, constructing storm-water drains at Kottara Chowki and at Kodialguttu.
The other works included laying underground drainage lines near Gujjarakere, providing clay layer on solid waste at Pachchanady dumping yard, maintaining head office building of the corporation and sub-office building at Mallikatta and tarring roads in the surroundings of Central Market building.
He alleged that many roads in the city were in bad condition. They needed immediate asphalting. The civic body had failed to lay proper approaches to concrete roads.
Lokayukta
Mr. Kumar said the Opposition members had objected to four issues approved in the October meeting of the council.
They would file a complaint with Lokayutka in this regard.
The council had approved resolutions relating to delay in the acquisition of land for widening a road at Kadri; naming a road at Marakada; awarding bid for levelling land near Mahaveera Circle for constructing a new bus-stand; and sanctioning funds for a national-level volleyball tournament.
He alleged that the corporation did not award contract for levelling land for bus-stand by inviting bids online. The contract had been awarded for Rs. 32 lakh.
According to rules of the Government, on-line bids should be invited for works involving more than Rs. 10 lakh.
He alleged the ruling BJP in the council was not taking up with the Government the problems pertaining to building houses on small sites as the party wanted to favour builders of apartments.
Certain provisions in the revised Master Plan for Mangalore Local Planning Area declined licence for houses on small sites, although the master plan came into force much after the formation of sites.
These sites should be exempted from the rules, he said.
The former Mayors M. Shashidhar Hegde and K. Ashraf, Congress councillors Harinath and Deepak Poojary were present.
