Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Apr 20: The Congress, noting that the city corporation here has failed to complete the work of building a well-equipped market at Bejai in the city in the place of the existing one since the last eight years, and has forced the petty shoppers there to shift their businesses to the roadside, has decided to protest against the failure of the city corporation. This was stated by Ivan D’Souza, secretary, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, at a press conference convened here on Thursday April 19.

“The city corporation had decided in 2003-04 to build an organized market at Bejai at a cost of six crore rupees. The work was handed over Land Army Corporation. Even after eight long years, the work on the market is limping at the initial stage itself, exposing the total failure of BJP administration in the city corporation. Bejai is an important place where a market to conduct business in fish, vegetables and other things, is very much required. The petty shoppers functioning in this market were driven out in 2003 to the sheds built by the side of Bejai church. The BJP has further jeopardized the market project by building concrete road by its side, exposing the total inexperience of BJP,” the Congress stated.

The party said that the because of cost escalation, the city corporation may have to spend over Rs 15 crore to executive the market project now. The claim of the city corporation of having spent Rs 1.06 crore on the project, and calling for fresh tenders amounting to Rs 1.4 crore have given rise to suspicions, Ivan said. Congress has warned the city corporation to investigate about the actual extent of work so far executed, finish the entire project before the onset of monsoon, and shift the petty businessmen to the market building before rainy season.

Condemning the apathy of the Passport Service Centre here in serving people coming from various places for getting passports, and protesting against the failure of the concerned to provide  good facilities to these people, the party has warned of barging into the centre and protesting in a unique way in the coming days, if the inadequacies are not addressed forthwith. It said that protests will be also held against the practice of collecting Rs 60 instead of Rs 40 in the case of parking of vehicles for over five minutes at the local airport.

Ivan also demanded for the resignation of education minister, Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, owning responsibility for the chaos concerning holding of PU examination, paper evaluation, and common entrance test (CET). The party leaders said they demand for holding of CET on the dates earlier announced.

A press conference held by the party in this connection was attended by Ivan D’Souza, Pravin Alva of Youth Congress, and Nagendra, city corporator.