Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Oct 1: The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has finally resolved to oppose the controversial Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project.

The resolution was passed by MCC administration amid protest in a general meeting on Wednesday September 30. The resolution would be sent to the state government. However, the resolution was opposed by CPI(M) member Dayanand Shetty, who said that as the project relates to provision of drinking water, a detailed discussion should be held first.

In fact, the opposition party in the MCC expressed anger at the ruling party for passing the resolution without discussion. When mayor Jacintha Alfred was about to read out the resolution, the opposition members started protesting and demanded a full-fledged discussion on the subject.

Roopa D Bangera of BJP said that when she had raised the issue in the last council meeting, the ruling party had dismissed her proposal stating that as it was a state government project, the MCC could not pass a resolution against it, as the corporation was a government body. Congress members Vinayraj and others contended that as two Congress members had also submitted the proposal to pass the resolution, there was no need for a discussion.

Roopa Bangera, and Abdul Rauf and Abdul Latheef of Congress had submitted a proposal to pass a resolution against the project in the council.

Nevertheless, the BJP members kept up their demand for a detailed discussion and urged that they should be given opportunity to express their opinions before passing the resolution. Arguments flew back and forth between the ruling party and the opposition.

Congress member Harinath said that MP Nalin Kumar of BJP should hold a press meet in Bengaluru to speak against the Yettinahole project. Former mayor Shashidhar Hegde said that there was no need to politicize the issue.

Premanand Shetty of BJP said that if Congress had shown the same concern in the last meeting, the resolution could have been passed days ago.

Standing committee president Harinath pointed out that union minister and BJP leader Sadananda Gowda was in favour of the project and that BJP state president Prahlad Joshi should speak against it. Deputy mayor Purushotham Chitrapur said, "There is no need to talk of Sadananda Gowda or Prahlad Joshi in this meeting. MCC members are against the project and we should pass the resolution. In the last meeting Roopa D Bangera had submitted a proposal to pass the resolution, but some members of the administration had spoken in favour of the project."