Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Sep 23: The city mayor Diwakar Pandeshwar, announced an individual grant of Rs 25 lac to each of the wards in the city in order to enable them to take up emergency works in these wards. Members of the opposition criticized the move, and pointed out that the corporation does not have any funds at its disposal and questioned how the corporators would be able to undertake development works.

The mayor, addressing the city corporation council meeting held at the Mangala Autiorium on Tuesday September 22, said that out of the grant of Rs 25 lac, road development, underground drainage, water supply and such other works can be got executed in the wards. Opposition corporator A C Vinayaraj, noted that the city corporation does not have money except Rs four crore which represents collection of water charges. He commented that the revenue department is becoming bankrupt.

Responding to the comment, Diwakar said that when the BJP came to power, there was heavy overdue pertaining to the previous period. Whip Premananda Shetty, noted that the mayor has announced about the grants at a time when the entire state is reeling under adverse COVID situation. He criticized the opposition for bringing politics into everything.

Vinayaraj said that he is not making allegations, but only laying bare the truth. This angered senior corporator Sudhir Shetty, who commented that he is aware what the Congress had done when in power and that the BJP corporators know how to handle power and administration. He angrily asked Vinayaraj to desist from bringing politics into everything. This led to friction between the ruling and opposition members.

Deputy mayor Vedavathi, corporation commissioner Akshy Sridhar, corporators and officials were present.

Corporator Anil Kumar, said that illegal building has come up at Pachanadi at a spot earmarked for civic workers. He said that in the previous session, eviction of the building was ordered but nothing has been done so far. Ward member Sangeetha Nayak, said that in the past, 28 houses were illegally built and the previous corporator had arranged for a road to reach the spot.

Opposition leader Abdul Ravuf, said that no one is authorised to illegally construct houses in corporation property. Mayor Diwakar wanted to know whether the opposition corporators are ready to vacate all such previous buildings, and corporators said they have no objections if they are illegal.