The Federation of Tax Payers’ Association has taken exception to the Chief Minister’s apprehensions that the MCC was not competent to take over the responsibility of supplying water to the city.
Federation secretary H.V.S. Murthy argued that mere apprehensions cannot be a reason to overrule the decision taken by the elected council and this went against the spirit of the Constitution.
Mr. Murthy, whose organisation is a federation of 26 associations, told The Hindu that the sovernment should take measures for the capacity building of the MCC and not divest it of the responsibility bestowed to through the 74th amendment to the Constitution.
“Technology induction and training the staff of the Vani Vilas Water Works is the way forward,” argued Mr. Murthy, an advocate. He has threatened to move the court in case MCC’s its decision was countermanded by the government.
“If the Chief Minister perceives that the MCC lacks competence to supply water, then the responsibility of maintaining streetlights should be vested with the electricity board, and solid waste management and health should be handed over to other departments”, Mr. Murthy said. The issue of fixing responsibility of water supply had been settled through the 74th amendment and overlooking it would amount to violation of the Constitution. If the government perceives that the MCC was not capable of handling water distribution, then it should abrogate the elected council and stop holding elections to it, said Mr. Murthy.
