The State government’s draft notification to amend the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, to include punishment (imprisonment) and a penalty clause was the centre of much debate at the meeting of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council on Thursday.
Opposition Leader Padmanabha Reddy of the BJP sought to know if the BBMP had the authority to recommend imprisonment of its officials for failing to check violations of building by-laws. He also remarked that less than 2% of the total buildings in the city actually adhere to the sanctioned plan and by-laws. “Even the BBMP has deviated and violated the by-laws while constructing the annexe building on its premises,” he said, adding that the civic body will have to build more jails as most of its engineers will have to go to prison if the amendments are enacted.
He alleged that with the amendment of a particular section of the KMC Act for bringing in Akrama Sakrama to regularise deviations being stayed by the Supreme Court, the government could not bring in any other amendments, as it would be contempt of court. The opposition demanded a special session to discuss the proposed amendments.
When Jayamahal councillor M.K. Gunashekar tried to explain the rationale behind the proposed amendments, the BJP councillors staged a walkout.
However, BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar tweeted his support for the proposed amendment, saying they were necessary to ‘protect Namma Bengaluru’. Most illegal constructions and commercialisation was because of the ‘active involvement or deliberate negligence’ by a few crooked officers. “It is time we deter the crooks and restore rule of law in our city,” he said.
Project BBMP Roshini
Civic-run schools will soon get 65-inch televisions with a built-in computer, web cam and microphone, as part of Project BBMP Roshini, which aims to transform classrooms and the use of technology to enhance learning.
Latha Kuwar Rathod, Gandhinagar councillor, demonstrated the hi-tech classroom that will be installed in schools in collaboration with Microsoft and Tech Avant-Garde. The project has taken 16 digital channels from Doordarshan to telecast lessons in classrooms from nursery to college. Subject experts will give lessons on TV, following which the teacher will explain the topic further. Students who are unwell and not able to attend classes can participate via Skype.
Solid waste management a mess in Kaveripura: Umesh Shetty
K. Umesh Shetty, Govindarajanagar councillor, alleged that domestic help and drivers have been added on the rolls as pourakarmikas by a garbage contractor. He claimed that in Kaveripura ward, previously represented by Ramila Umashankar, who passed away recently, nearly 25 bogus names had been added to the list of pourakarmikas.
He also claimed that with the first contractor failing to ensure effective solid waste management in the ward, the work was awarded to another person. However, when the ousted contractor objected, he was asked to continue. “Just two days after the new work order was given, the civic body asked the old contractor to come back. How is this possible? Even the intervention of MLA V. Somanna has not helped set right the mess,” he claimed.
Responding to the allegations, zonal commissioner of the West zone said that since the civic body had not issued any notice to the old contractor. “We decided to allow him to continue based on the oral directions of the commissioner,” he said, much to the chagrin of the opposition councillors.
Later, Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun said that officials have sought two days to set right the issue.
