Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 28: Taking serious note of the fact that Nirmiti Kendra, which had taken up the renovation work of the Town Hall here has since conveyed its reluctance to continue with the same on technical grounds, the city corporation here has decided against entrusting any works to this agency henceforth. It has also planned to write to the state government to cancel the Kendra's recognition.

A decision to this effect was taken at the general session of the city corporation council held on Wednesday January 27.

At the outset, leader of the opposition in the council, Premananda Shetty, who raised the topic of the stalling of the renovation work of the Town Hall midway, questioned as to whether political considerations were behind this suspension of renovation work. Noting that the deadline given to Nirmiti Kendra had already expired, he wanted information as to when the work will be concluded. Shetty drew support of several corporators on this issue.

Commissioner of the city corporation, Hephsiba Rani Korlapati, reacting to the query, said that she had visited the spot within a week since taking over charge and inspected the work. She said she will take steps to ensure that works begin again within the next 15 days.

When the corporators, not satisfied with the reply, pressurized the mayor to come out with a clear date by which the work will be completed, the mayor expressed helplessness, adding that the work will not be finished before his term as mayor ends.

When several corporators expressed suspicion that some kind of politics would have been involved with the issue, the mayor noted that everyone has the right to express his or her views. He expressed surprise that no one has mooted the proposal to de-recognize the Kendra. The corporators supported this idea. After discussions,the mayor said that the city corporation would write to the government to withdraw recognition given to the Nirmiti Kendra in view of the fact that it has expressed inability to complete the works citing technical problems. He noted that the Kendra has beenfound to be capable of completing works worth Rs 20 crore in city corporation limits.

Several corporators complained that there is no clarify about the changed system of garbage collection, which has been taken up by Antony Waste Company Pvt Ltd, and that the citizens have no inkling about the new system. The commissioner said that the company will officially begin work from February 1, and that at present, it is doing work on experimental basis. The people will understand this system through the current working of the company, and also through publications in website, she added.

Deputy mayor, Kavita Vasu, chairpersons of standing committees, and others were present.