Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (SK)

Mangaluru, Mar 21: Mangaluru city block, Mangaluru north block and Mangaluru south block Congress Committee staged a protest here at Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) on Tuesday, March 21 over the failure of its administration.

Addressing the media, former MLC Ivan D’Souza said, “Day-by-day, the condition of the city corporation is turning nastiest. We are protesting in front of the city corporation to know if there are any working MLAs here. Members of the city corporation are least bothered about the city. Garbage is strewn on the roads and our entire city is stinking. Mosquitoes are breeding everywhere. After a seven-year contract, Antony Waste Management has extended the contract for a year half with the MCC s discernment. It will be the MCCs responsibility to check on if they are functioning properly. MLA Vedavyas Kamath and Dr Bharath Shetty are completely responsible for the problem the city is facing now.

“The taxes that the people pay are used for the construction of roads and drainages. But those amounts should be used for the people’s basic needs. When Congress was in power, we have brought crores of rupees for the Smart City project. Our aim was to provide the basic needs to the public. After the BJP came to power, the city corporation got completely corrupted. The basic facilities are not being provided for the citizens. In the term of 5 years, MLA Vedavyas Kamath has not brought plans which gave the basic facilities to the common people.”

“The civic workers are holding strikes as they are not given equal pay. I request the police officials to file a suo moto case on the MLAs, mayor and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel. There have been back-to-back fire incidents at Pacchanady. People die due to health problems. Our MLAs are least interested in this. Their negligence has brought Pacchanady to this situation,” said Ivan.

KPCC spokesperson A C Vinayaraj said, "During the rule of the BJP government in the MCC in 2013, we have faced the same problem. Garbage was being strewn all over the roads. The people realized the failure of the BJP government and elected Congress government for the next term. The BJP government are increasing the taxes in every field, and even after this, the common people are not able to enjoy their basic facilities. There are many waste collecting vehicles but only a few are running in the city. Anthony waste management drivers are holding strikes requesting to give equal pay for equal work. If the waste is not collected within two days, we will fight fiercely in every ward."

Congress leader Naveen D’Souza said, "MLA Vedavyas Kamath and Dr Bharath Shetty are troubling the civic workers. People are suffering from health problems. By increasing the taxes, they have made the people suffer and now the city is suffering with the bad odour. They are not having an exact count of how many vehicles and employees are there in Anthony waste management. Food festivals are being organised in the city. Who will collect the waste there?”