In a discussion that took place after four adjournments and a boycott by most of the Congress councillors, the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Council on Thursday resolved to bring down the stallage hike by 50 per cent.
After a prolonged discussion, the Mayor announced in the monthly council meeting that the recently hiked stallage would be reduced to half and the clause on returning the leased property to the municipal corporation after 12 years would be withdrawn.
Only two of the Congress councillors, the former opposition leader Ganesh Tagargunti and Prafullachandra Rayanagoudar, were present at the time the Mayor gave her ruling.
After the discussion began on the issue, the leader of the opposition Sudha Manikuntla, the former leader of opposition Deepak Chinchore and others wanted the earlier resolution on stallage revision cancelled. However few of their own party members were opposed to it. Caught in an embarrassing situation, Ms. Manikuntla, Mr. Chinchore and others staged a walkout.
Earlier the issue led to four adjournments as the opposition Congress councillors wanted the issue to be taken up immediately.
Soon after the monthly council meeting began on Thursday, Mr. Chinchore moved a calling attention motion on the subject and he was supported by Ms. Manikuntla, Dasharath Wali, Yasin Haveripet, Mohan Hiremani, Prakash Kyarakatti, Subhash Shindhe and others.
They demanded that the issue should be taken up for discussion immediately as the stall owners were agitating since several days and were seeking a revision of just 15 per cent after every three years.
Although Mayor Ashwini Majjagi said that as the subject was in the additional agenda it could be discussed as per the agenda, the Congress members wanted it to be taken up immediately.
When the Mayor did not heed their request, they rushed to the well of the house to urge the Mayor to allow discussion immediately terming it an important subject. The resulting chaos forced the Mayor to adjourn the meeting for some time.
When the meeting resumed, Congress members insisted on allowing discussion on the stallage issue, forcing the adjournment of the council meet for three more times.
The proceedings resumed only after the Mayor was able to convince the Congress leaders in a meeting of leaders.
