Misappropriation smelt in Mangaluru Indira Canteen
Members allege irregularities
Mayor promises of taking action
Mangaluru, December 26: As corporators alleged misappropriation in the Indira canteens in the city limits, mayor Bhaskar K promised of taking action if the allegation is proved.
The corporators raised the issue in the city corporation general body meeting chaired by Mayor Bhaskar K here on Wednesday.
In the meeting, member Vijay Kumar said that except Lady Goshan, misappropriation was smelt in all Indira Canteens. In some canteens, though 100 members have breakfast and lunch, they produce the bills of 500 customers. The city corporation has already provided Rs 70 lakh to maintain the canteens. A good scheme is suspected to be misused in the city, he said.
Responding to the allegation, the mayor said that he would ask the authorities to visit the canteens and check the CCTV footage to identify the misappropriation and take action.
Street lights to be converted into LED
When the corporators raised the issue of mismanagement of street lights, Corporation Commissioner Muhammad Nazeer said that all street lights in the city would be converted into LED lights, for which a tender would be called in a couple of days.
Members angry over UGD problem
Corporator Madhukiran alleged that UGD water is flowing in the open drainage in the city causing health problems. Another member Abdur Ravoof also said though Septic Treatment Plants (STPs) have commissioned in Bazal, Padeel, Faizal areas, they were not functioning properly.
Reacting to it, the Commissioner said that the UGD works under KUDSEMP works, second stage ADB project, Smart City Project and Amruth Project were taken up in the city at a cost of Rs 507 crore.
On Pachchanadi dumping yard problem, the Commissioner said that spot inspection was done. There was a complaint that the garbage was being dumped from other places during night. In order to keep a vigil on it, authorities were directed to install CCTV cameras and close compound gate, he said.
Deputy mayor Muhammad K, standing committee presidents Praveen Chandra Alva, Naveen D’Souza, Radhakrishna, Latha Salian were present.
Bill payment issue rocks corporation meeting
When member Dayananda Shetty raised the issue that the bills of contractors of various development works in the city corporation limits were not cleared for the last 11 months, Opposition Leader Premananda Shetty said that the corporation has to clear more than Rs 50 crore dues. As a result, the development works were suspended. How the quality works could be expected from the contractors, he asked.
Demanding the financial status of the corporation, Premananda Shetty said that lot of programmes were sanctioned under general funds. But he has doubt about the funds to be provided to such works. If the election is announced, the works would be hampered, he said.
Commissioner Nazeer said that bill payment on general funds was being made in three sections. Bills related to maintenance were cleared up to November, while bills of water supply and UGD were cleared up to July. But the bills of other works were pending for the last one year. Property tax from February to April would be collected. At this time, the bills of the contractors would be cleared and this is the regular process, he said.
But the Opposition members were not happy about the answer. Chief Whip Shashidhar Hegde said that such development works which were not taken up in the history of the corporation, have been completed in the last five years, for which ruling party members applauded.
When Hegde continued his speech, opposition member Poornima objected to it and went before the mayor chair and alleged that no action was taken to supply 24*7 water and all his claims are false.
Due to war of words between ruling and opposition parties, commotion created in the house. When the opposition members demanded resolution on bill clearance, mayor Bhaskar opposed it saying that the corporation would take action. He has sought special funds from the Chief Minister and it would come within a week, he said.
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Mamata alleges BJP disrupted her Bhabanipur rally, Suvendu claims 'she's nervous'
Kolkata (PTI): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cut short her speech at a rally in her Bhabanipur constituency, alleging that the BJP was deliberately playing loud music from a nearby public meeting.
A peeved Banerjee said despite having the required permission of the Election Commission, her rally in Chakraberia was disrupted by the BJP, "who want to capture Bengal by intimidation and threat".
"It is not possible for me to go ahead with this meeting. If they can do such a thing in my constituency, imagine how undemocratic the BJP is. If they behave like this, I have to take legal action," she said.
"This is an insult, humiliation. BJP is stepping on our toes to instigate trouble. Not possible to address the gathering in this situation. I am leaving the stage. Please vote for me in your protest," she added.
Banerjee was then seen calling someone over and venting her grievances.
Before leaving the stage, she said, "I will hold a rally tomorrow at the same spot."
TMC supporters then rushed towards the BJP rally, which was later addressed by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, but security personnel intervened and prevented the situation from escalating.
TMC workers later staged a demonstration outside the local police station and filed a complaint, alleging that the BJP violated the model code of conduct.
A senior TMC leader said another complaint will also be lodged with the Election Commission.
Asked about Banerjee's allegations, Adhikari told reporters after the rally he held nearby, "Her reaction shows she is nervous about the imminent loss."
"There was no violence, no obstruction in her meeting and her behaviour shows her nervousness. On May 4, people of Bhabanipur will celebrate the victory of the BJP," he claimed, alleging that the TMC also tried to disrupt his meeting by playing loud music.
South Kolkata's Bhabanipur, one of the battleground seats in the West Bengal elections, will vote in the second phase on April 29.
