BANGALORE: Mayor N Shanthakumari took BBMP officials to task at her first meeting with them on Monday.
The officials of Engineering, Health, Revenue, Forest and other Departments came under fire at the meeting which started at 10 am and went till 12.30 pm. She spoke on many issues like illegal conversion of residential buildings to commercial buildings, illegal hoardings, mixing sewage water to lakes, increasing rent of shops in market and others.
Pointing at the dirty curtains, paint peeling off from walls, broken furniture, rat menace and other issues which make offices messy, Shanthakumari questioned, “If the officials can’t keep their offices clean, then how can they keep the city clean? Cleaning should start from your office,” she said.
The Mayor said the Assistant Engineers will be on field inspection, but Executive Engineers ideally should be at their offices. “They come to office at 12 noon. Even revenue officials are not seen at offices. People who come to pay tax return without paying the tax as they don’t find the officers. From now onwards, this practice should change. I want every officer to be at the office between 3 and 5 pm everyday,” she said.
“People come to meet you as you have power. Utilise it. Once you are retired from service, no one will ever come to you,” she said.
During meeting when she noticed that officials were not wearing identity (ID)cards, she said everyone should wear their ID cards henceforth as it signifies discipline. Shanthakumari directed Chief Conservator of Forest Brijesh Kumar to issue a circular to all his officials to plant saplings/ seedlings that are more than 10 foot in height. “If not, these saplings will become prey for cattle. It should also be preserved with the help of tree guards,” she said.
“On tree cutting, she said when trees were axed, the bole of the trees were left on the footpaths as well as on roads. They pose threat to pedestrians and two-wheelers. They should be removed completely,” she ordered.
The Mayor said that Mysore road widening is incomplete. “I want to know what is the problem and receive a report on this,” she said. On the proposed underpass at Magadi Main Road, she said it has been one year that Chief Minister Siddaramiah laid foundation for the underpass.”So far, the work has not started,” she said. The officials explained technical glitches like tree cutting and shifting of BESCOM and BWSSB utilities. The Mayor said she does not want to listen any excuses and the work should start in next one week.
She also demanded the status of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) which are given for public to widen the road.
‘Issue Salary Cheques’
“Salary being given to contract teachers in not paid on time. They get salary once in three months. This is because the files related to their salary has to pass many tables and this causes a delay. There is a need to issue cheques directly to them,” she said. She also said that there is a need to reimburse college fee paid to poor students, especially for those who select Science stream. She also said the broken furniture should be cleared. “Broken furniture are more in number compared to students,” she said.