Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jun 3: City mayor Jacintha Vijay Alfred has asked the government to conduct an enquiry into controversy surrounding the hosting of a delegation on smart city project that had came from USA to the city in March, source said.
"I was just orally informed by the city corporation commissioner about the visit of a delegation said to have been deputed by the central government. No additional information was given. In connection with the visit of this delegation, corporators had alleged at the meeting about misuse of government machinery in hosting the said delegation. On the face of it, this allegation appears to have substance. Therefore, the government has been asked to hold enquiry into this matter," she said.
Immediately after the holding of special budget session of the city corporation council here on March 24, a meeting chaired by the mayor had discussed issues relating to smart city project. It was informed that the city has been brought under a list of smart cities proposed to be developed as envisaged by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and that this meeting had been convened to conduct supplementary studies and send report to the Prime Minister. Alex Galafand and Shruti Ramaiah, said to be representatives of Bloomberg Philanthropies team, had been introduced as members of the delegation. The corporators had failed to provide supplementary information sought to the visiting delegation.
The issue had turned into a controversy in the coming days. A corporator had raised question to the commissioner about the visit of two members of this delegation and footing of bill towards providing facilities to its members.
The commissioner has already issued clarification on the subject. The mayor has now come up with another statement. The tussle between the corporators and commissioner at the city corporation here seems to be turning more complex, going by this development.