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BBMP division: Brand Bengaluru will not be hit, says CM Siddaramaiah

CM Siddaramaiah claimed that the division of BBMP would not affect the brand image of Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Taking opposition parties to task for a misinformation campaign on the division of BBMP into three new corporations, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that it would not affect the brand image of Bengaluru at the international level and said the government was committed to protecting the interests of Kannadigas. The CM said the government had decided to consult stake holders once again to seek their suggestions on creating smaller corporations for better administration.

Speaking on the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (amendment) Bill, 2015 in the Legislative Council on Monday, he attacked the BJP-JD(S) combine for trying to project Congress as 'dividers' of Bengaluru built by Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda. He said his predecessor, Mr Jagadish Shettar, while attending a seminar on 'restructuring of Bengaluru' organised by Mr Ravindra, former chief secretary and adviser to Mr Shettar, had favoured creating two or three new corporations in place of BBMP since it had become difficult to manage the city.

Besides, Mr Shettar had said that problems cropped up after the coalition government decided to merge 110 villages and six CMCs and one TMC into BBMP. After the Congress came to power, a three-member expert committee was constituted to study the issue. The committee, headed by former chief secretary, Mr B.S. Patil consulted citizens and spoke to 16 legislators and 28 councillors. The panel had submitted two reports with an observation that the present BBMP model was 'unwieldy' and had failed to provide basic amenities to citizens.

The city population is expected to reach two crore by 2040 before which the government should take steps to provide water, roads and good UGD facilities to every family. The CM said strictures had been passed by high court and Lokayukta about total mismanagement by the elected body and this had been established by Rajendrakumar Kataria committee that looked into BBMP scams. The Kataria Committee had recommended a detailed probe by an investigative agency into acts of omissions and commissions from 2010 to 2015.

Taking all these factors into consideration, the government decided to divide the BBMP into two or three corporations for better management of city affairs. When Leader of Opposition K S Eshwarappa said Kannadigas would become a minority if BBMP was divided into three, the CM said all steps would be taken to protect the interests of Kannada speaking people.

BJP to file petition in apex court

Four BJP corporators will file a Special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court on Tuesday challenging the division bench order of the High Court which gave time to the state government to hold BBMP polls.

BJP corporators C.K. Ramamurthy, Somashekar, L. Ramesh and Sukumar left for Delhi on Monday along with a copy of the SLP which will be filed on Tuesday. “We will seek an immediate stay of the division bench order and seek directions to the State Elections Commission to notify the calendar of events for BBMP polls”, said Mr. Ramamurthy.

“Along with the SLP, the petitioners will also file an affidavit seeking emergency hearing of the SLP. Since the matter is most urgent, we will file a affidavit seeking emergency hearing”, Mr. Ramamurthy said.

The division bench of the High Court had quashed the single bench order which directing the state government and state election commission to hold BBMP polls before May 30. The petitioners cited earlier orders of the Supreme Court which directed the Karnataka government to hold BBMP polls once its term is over.

( Source : dc correspondent )
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