The Hindu        19.01.2011

MCC criticised for tardy progress of JNNURM work

Special Correspondent

Heads together: Members of the Association of Concerned and Informed
Citizens of Mysore at a meeting with Mayor Sandesh Swamy in Mysore on
Tuesday. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

Peeved over the tardy progress in the implementation of Jawaharlal Nehru
National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) projects in Mysore, a citizens’
panel has decided to file a public interest litigation (PIL) petition
seeking judicial intervention to put the projects back on track.

Members of the Association of Concerned and Informed
Citizens of Mysore (ACICM) met with Mayor Sandesh Swamy on Tuesday and
apprised him of the consequences of this delay.

ACICM convener M. Lakshman said funds had been withheld
for the projects owing to the failure of the Mysore City Corporation
(MCC) and the State Government to initiate reforms including property
title certification system, public disclosure law, revision of building
bylaws, and earmarking 25 per cent of developed land in all housing
projects by the Mysore Urban Development Authority for economically
weaker sections of the society.

‘Wasted opportunity’

ACICM members accused the authorities of squandering an
opportunity to improve infrastructure through the JNNURM projects, which
receive liberal funding from the Centre.

Mysore was among the 63 cities to receive funding under
the flagship project of the Ministry of Urban Development. It had used
barely Rs. 500 crore, although Rs. 1,330 crore worth of projects had
been approved, Mr. Lakshman said. Besides, some of the projects did not
directly benefit the public, he claimed.

He noted that people of the city were being deprived of
Cauvery water, although the river was situated 16 km away. Authorities
had not taken up work to replace the network of pipes drawing water from
the Krishna Raja Sagar reservoir, he added.

The NGO flayed authorities for not locating the solid
waste management plant outside the city limits and highlighted the
“wasteful expenditure” in procuring 100 auto tippers, most of which were
not being utilised.

Though Mysore had qualified for JNNURM in view of its
heritage and tourism sectors, no project had been taken up in these
sectors. Besides, no technical committee had been constituted to
ascertain the quality of work, the NGO said.