The ongoing agitation seeking the creation of a municipal corporation for Dharwad has received a shot in the arm with senior Congress leader and former Minister H.K. Patil expressing solidarity with the agitation committee and writing to the Chief Minister requesting him to consider the demand.
In his letter to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, which has been released to the media, Mr. Patil has urged Mr. Bommai to consider the demand for a municipal corporation terming it the need of the hour.
Despite being an educational hub and a centre for art, culture and literature, the needs of Dharwad as a city have always been neglected under the twin-city municipal corporation in the last few decades.
“An analysis of the funds allocated to nine municipal corporations in the State, formed under the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act 1976, shows that the funds disbursed to Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) are inadequate. And, of the funds disbursed to HDMC, only 15% to 20% are spent on Dharwad,” Mr. Patil has said in the letter.
He has emphasised that Dharwad as a city will meet all the criteria to become eligible for having a dedicated municipal corporation.
Mr. Patil has pointed out that a population of three lakh and a revenue of ₹6 crore are the prerequisites for becoming a municipal corporation. “As per the 2011 census, the population of Dharwad is 2.99 lakh and when all the new extension areas of the city are taken into consideration, the population will be around 4.5 lakh. And, as per official data, the revenue collection of Dharwad city is ₹37.31 crore. Dharwad is more than eligible to be accorded the status of a municipal corporation,” he has said.
The former Minister has said that considering the geographical area and revenue of the city, when the funds allocated and different programmes implemented are taken into consideration, it will clearly reveal the injustice meted out to the city. “The creation of a municipal corporation is the need of the hour. And, it is the opinion of all. I request you to create a municipal corporation for Dharwad,” he has requested the Chief Minister in the letter.
‘Demand is justified’
Meanwhile, addressing presspersons in Dharwad, the former chairman of Legislative Council Veeranna Mattikatti has expressed solidarity with the ongoing agitation for a municipal corporation for Dharwad and said that the demand of the residents of Dharwad is justified in view of what he termed injustice meted out to the city in terms of development.
Mr. Mattikatti, who addressed the press conference along with leaders P.H. Neeralakeri, Sharanappa Kotagi, Manoj Patil and Venkatesh Machakanur said that if the State Government failed to take a decision before the end of November this year, then the agitation will be intensified.
