The proposal to include areas on the outskirts of Mysuru and the revenue pockets in the City under the jurisdiction of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and upgrade the civic body into “Bruhat Mysuru Mahanagara Palike” or “Greater Mysuru” has brought the MCC’s resources under sharp focus.
Though Mysuru MP Pratap Simha had already met Minister for Urban Development B.A. Basaravaj and Minister for Municipal Administration K.C. Narayana Gowda with a representation to include in MCC’s jurisdiction the areas on the outskirts of Mysuru and the revenue pockets in the City, the MCC refused to include a proposal to transfer Alanahalli, Srirampura, Chamundi Hills and Hinkal into the civic body’s jurisdiction as a subject in the agenda of last week’s Council meeting.
Responding to calls for adding more areas into MCC’s jurisdiction, former JD(S) corporator K.V. Mallesh sought to know if adequate attention had been paid to MCC’s resources and infrastructure. “Our revenues are barely enough to pay the salaries of pourakarmikas and bear the expenditure incurred on vehicles and phone bills. The civil contractors have boycotted MCC work because the civic body does not have money to clear its bills. How can the MCC bear the burden of additional areas coming under its jurisdiction?”, he sought to know.
Most of the new areas proposed to be transferred to MCC are revenue pockets without any civic amenities and residential layouts approved by gram panchayats on the outskirts of the city. Many private layout developers had sold the sites without properly creating underground drainage system, laying roads or providing electricity connections. “The MCC will need a huge amount of money to provide basic amenities including underground drainage system, drinking water supply, roads, street lights, garbage clearance, besides maintaining parks”, Mr. Mallesh said.
He said the government should include only areas within the Outer Ring Road in MCC’s jurisdiction while upgrading the other areas on the outskirts of Mysuru into Town Panchayats or Town Municipalities for localised development and decentralisation. This approach will relieve MCC of the additional burden, he said.
Meanwhile, Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Deve Gowda, who was in favour of merging parts of his constituency including Alanahalli, Chamundi Hills, Srirampura and Hinkal in MCC limits, said the civic body’s finances will also improve if the developed areas are brought under its jurisdiction. Additional funds will also come from the State Government and Centre.
Deputy Mayor C. Sridhar, who was in the chair during last week’s MCC Council meeting, said a special meeting of the MCC Council will be convened after holding a detailed discussion on the issue with MLAs and MLCs, besides other people’s representatives.
