BENGALURU: Incumbent mayor Sampath Raj, whose term will end on September 27, is all set to hand over a silver key, baton and Kempegowda statue to his successor. But along with these silver goodies, he will also be handing over several unsolved civic problems to the new mayor, post mayoral elections, which is scheduled to be held on September 28.
All these years, the outgoing mayor would welcome the new mayor with a handshake and a flower bouquet. But, during the last budget, the BBMP announced a silver Kempegowda statue, silver baton and silver key for the new mayor along with a silver box to keep the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act book.
A sum of `15 lakh was allotted for it, which was approved by the state government. Following the state government’s approval, a tender was called. The silver items together weigh 25 kg, and `22 lakh has been spent on it.
Mayor Sampath Raj told The New Indian Express, “Bengaluru has sanctity. The city was built by Nadaprabhu Kempegowda. As a symbolic representation, we chose silver Kempegowda statue, baton and the key. It is like handing over the city to the next mayor. It is now the new mayor’s responsibility to ensure safer and cleaner Bengaluru.”He also said the KMC book - which is like Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran for the BBMP Commissioner - will be kept in the silver box. The Commissioner, who acts like the administrator, has to work under the act.
When asked about the unsolved issues that he would be handing over to the next mayor, Sampath Raj said he would reveal that only on his last day of work (September 27). He also did not reveal much about the silver goodies.
Unsolved civic issues
Some of the unsolved civic issues plaguing the city include - potholes, garbage disposal, inundation during rains, bad roads, lake maintenance, land encroachment, maintaining green Bengaluru tag, fund crunch in BBMP to complete civic works and more.“All these civic issues will be handed over to the next Mayor,’’ a senior JDS leader said.
However, an Opposition Party Leader in the BBMP Council said it was nowhere mentioned in the KMC Act that that new mayor should be welcomed with a silver baton or key. “This is a new tradition the incumbent mayor has come up with. Worse, the cost to make these articles is sourced from the taxpayers’ money. This was unnecessary expenditure. Instead of these gimmicks, it would have been better if the ruling parties had concentrated on solving issues, including potholes and garbage. If they had given better administration, the High Court would not have taken BBMP to task during the hearings. BBMP is facing fund crunch and unnecessary expenditure like this could have been avoided,’’ he said.