The Hindu 07.03.2013
Garbage: ward panel members get the jitters
Close on the heels of the Karnataka High Court asking citizens to hold ward committee members responsible for uncleared garbage in the city, Mayor D. Venkatesh claimed he had received several calls from anxious members offering to resign.
“The members claimed they were disheartened by the High Court’s observations and have offered to resign. Over the past two days, I have received nearly 30 calls from ward committee members from across the city,” he told reporters here on Wednesday.
The High Court’s observations appear to have burst the bubble of initial zeal displayed by several people to become members of ward committees.
Accountability
A senior councillor, who requested anonymity, said that some members of ward committees were not willing to be held accountable for the city’s garbage problem. “The members were nominated to the committees. They felt unmotivated as it seems that that they will be made scapegoats in the wake of the High Court’s observations,” the councillor said.
On Monday, the High Court said that the citizens can file an application before the court if neither the councillor nor ward committee members respond to their requests to clear garbage in their ward.
Mr. Murthy said that the committee members were scared that they may have to face the wrath of the court. “Truth be told, some committees have not been constituted as per the law. I have requested the members not to take any hasty decision. We will discuss the issue with the party leadership and convene a meeting of all the ward committee members in the BBMP head office soon,” he added.
N. Nagaraju, BJP leader, claimed that he too had received many calls from ward committee members.
“The ones who are apprehensive of the court’s punitive action are mostly retired officials and senior citizens. They are volunteering their time and services for the city and feel that it is not right for the court to target them,” he said.
