Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (KM/RD)
Mangalore, Feb 16: Samajwadi Party (SP) has urged the election commission to consider delimitation of constituencies in the state before announcing the schedule of impending assembly polls.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday February 15, SP Changappa, district SP executive president said that announcing the schedule of assembly polls prior to the delimitation is not a wise decision as there has been considerable increase in the number of schedule caste and scheduled tribe population. Such a step may bar the deprived classes from availing social justice, he said.
Demanding a high-level enquiry into ‘unilateral approval’ by Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) of sanctioning the implementation of spot billing process, the executive president said that despite MCC having as many as 25 meter readers whose employment has been regularized, the corporation has handed over the reading to a private agency called Prasanna Technology.
Further he added that the process of approving the tender also gives rise to suspicions as it has awarded the contract not to the lowest bidder such as Bellary IT Solutions Private Limited.
It also demanded the authority concerned to expedite the works of constructing the vented dam in the wake of water crisis. He also urged the authority not to hinder the construction works of vented dam citing paucity of funds.
When enquired on the party's stand on acquisition of agricultural land for Special Economic Zone and PCPIR, the president stated that the party would make its stance clear that it would not allow the acquisition of agricultural land now and even after the assembly polls. Moreover, he also suggested setting up of special agricultural zone (SAZ) instead of SEZ.
He also specified that the party was against the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices. Terming it a burden, he said it strongly opposed the hike. The party also urges the authority to ensure safety of Kannadigas and north Indians residing in Maharastra who are facing insecurity in the wake of attacks by Maharastra Navinirman Sena (MNS) activists in Nasik and in Mumbai.
Other office bearers of the party were present at the press conference.