The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which beats drums in front of properties whose owners have defaulted on tax payments, got a taste of its own medicine on Tuesday when Janata Dal (S) councillors took to beating drums while staging a dharna in the well of the council.
Earlier, JD(S) Floor Leader Padmanabha Reddy had raised objection to the statements made by Governor H.R. Bhardwaj while addressing the joint legislature session on Monday.
‘Bogus statement'
“The BJP had made even the Governor make ‘bogus' statements. Even though no work has been taken up in 2011-12, the Governor has stated some 2,500 km of roads had been asphalted, concreted 35 km, constructed 12 pedestrian underpasses and developed 650 parks,” he said.
He demanded the resignation of Mayor Sharadamma, Deputy Mayor S. Harish, and chairpersons of all 12 Standing Committees for presenting the 2011-12 “bogus budget.” The JD(S) councillors then stormed the well and beat the drums.
BJP councillors raised objection to the “blatant violation of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act, 1976” as even bringing placards was not allowed under the Act.
Responding to his charges, Commissioner M.K. Shankarlinge Gowda said the Government had accorded approval to the BBMP's request to take up works of 2010-11 as spill-over for 2011-12. “As the quantum of works to be taken up is huge, the Council can take a call on which work can be dropped and which can be taken up.”
Earlier, Mr. Reddy urged the Commissioner to urge the Government to frame rules with regard to regularizing properties on revenue sites constructed before 2008. He said that in February 2011, the State Government amended section 95 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act and the revenue property owners could get their properties regularized by June 2012. “However, even though the deadline is nearing, the rules are yet to be framed by the State Government's Revenue Department. Moreover, citizens do not know of this amendment.” Mr. Gowda said that the State Government was likely to complete the process soon.
Improvement charges
Yediyur Councillor N.R. Ramesh raising the issue of improvement charges, said that of the Rs. 583 crore to be collected under this head, the BBMP had collected only Rs. 149.56 crore. “Due to the negligence of the revenue inspectors, revenue officers and zonal officials, more than 20 per cent have escaped BBMP net. Also, several revenue property owners have contested BBMP's move to collect improvement charges. The BBMP can contest the High Court's stay,” he added.
He also questioned the BDA sanctioning Occupancy Certificate to 583 buildings without verifying the building bye-law violations. This, he said, had caused a loss to BBMP.
To this, Mr. Gowda said that the BBMP would be able to collect improvement charges only after the High Court ruled in the cases filed before it. He also said that as per the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, the BDA was a planning authority and could thus issue OC.
