Stating that Dharwad has suffered in terms of development, KPCC media analyst P.H. Neeralakeri has urged the BJP MLAs from the district to raise the long-pending demand for the creation of a municipal corporation for Dharwad in the ongoing legislature session.
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Addressing presspersons in Dharwad on Monday, Mr. Neeralakeri said that lack of political will to bifurcate the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation and carve out a municipal corporation for Dharwad has adversely affected the development of the “City of Letters”.
Mr. Neeralakeri said that although Dharwad met all the parameters required, politicians from Dharwad have not lent their voice to the demand so far.
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“The demand for a new municipal corporation has garnered more support from different quarters in the last one year. It has transformed into a movement with people from all walks of life lending their voice by participating in relay hunger strike and signature campaign. Unfortunately, it has not received a positive response in political circles,” he said.
Mr. Neeralakeri said that Dharwad with a population of 4.50 lakh and the revenue contribution of ₹60 crore to the municipal corporation meets all the criteria. While the city boasts of premier educational institutions, including IIT-Dh and IIIT, two other universities and hundreds of educational institutions and cultural organisations, it lacks basic infrastructure, he said.
He said that a major portion of the allocated funds went to Hubballi, leaving the city starving for funds for development works. Therefore, Members of Legislative Assembly Arvind Bellad and Jagadish Shettar from Hubballi Dharwad should raise this issue in the Assembly and impress upon the Chief Minister to get the long-pending demand fulfilled, he said.