BENGALURU: Mayor B N Manjunath Reddy on Thursday blamed advocates of BBMP for revenue losses, saying they were hand-in-glove with opposing litigants while arguing Palike cases in the court.
Speaking at meet-the-press event organised by the Press Club of Bengaluru on Thursday, the mayor said the Palike has lost a few properties because of such collusion. He alleged that the advocates were finding loopholes in the cases themselves so that the blacklisted company against which BBMP has filed the case can go to court and win.
Citing an example, the mayor said, “In one case related to an advertisement, a BBMP advocate did not go to court for 30 hearings. One can imagine the amount lost,” he said. During the administrator’s time, some of the lazy advocates were shown the door, he said. The mayor said the BBMP was reopening a few of the works that were frozen during the administrator’s time. The administrator had frozen works worth Rs 1,800 crore. “The Chief Minister is releasing Rs 250 crore for works. There are some emergency works that were frozen in certain wards. We will be taking it up,” he said.
Numerous Bank Accounts: On hundreds of bank accounts in BBMP, the mayor said there were more than 600 accounts a couple of years ago and now the number has increased. “I have asked officials to make one to three accounts per department,” he said. “Bringing in financial discipline will be my priority,” he added.
On the road history register, Reddy said more than 80 per cent of the work has been completed. “There are some roads in BDA and private layouts which need to be brought into the net. Once that is done, we will have a full-fledged road history.”
On the new BBMP Council’s first meeting scheduled on Monday, he said it would be challenging. But he clarified that there will be absolute coordination between the Congress and JD(S).
When asked about medical grants, Reddy said people could contact him for mayoral medical grants. “There is no need for a recommendation from the local Councillor or MLA,” he said. “There is a proposal to construct an elevated corridor connecting the West-East and South-North side of Bengaluru. “The CM has laid the foundation and we have requested the state government to provide grants,” he added.
No Places of Worship on Footpaths
The mayor is keen on removing temples, churches, mosques or any places of worship located on the footpath. Even the Supreme Court has directed the authorities that there should be no shrines on footpaths. Despite protests from locals, some city corporations in the country have removed these structures from footpaths. “We will take the local people, trusts and associations into confidence and then remove these structures from footpaths,” he said.