BENGALURU: In the absence of a full-fledged BBMP Council and councillors for more than four years, the city’s 1.4 crore people and their civic issues, especially during the monsoon, pose a challenge as the burden of micro management is on MLAs, MPs and BBMP ward officials.
Bengaluru, a thickly populated metro with 198 wards, also has a considerable floating population. Despite growing civic issues, Bengaluru has functioned without a full-fledged governing Council, and this is the fourth time the city has no councillors during the monsoon. There was no Council from 2007 to 2010 too.
Senior BJP leader and former deputy mayor S Harish told TNIE that during the monsoon, if there are any rain-related issues, the first contact person for residents is the local councillor.
There is a set of officials in each ward office, but it is the councillor who can get them to work. The councillor has a hold and is good at micro-management, which might be difficult for MLAs or MPs. Councillors know every road and layout in their wards, especially low-lying areas. Also, a councillor carries accountability, which might not be true for a ward official.
Harish said every election in the state is conducted on time, whether it is Assembly or Lok Sabha or even MLC polls, but BBMP polls are almost always delayed. Every time, they come up with reasons like reservation or delimitation, forcing the authorities to conduct polls late. The BBMP poll-related case is before the court.
A senior BBMP official on anonymity said each ward is formally represented by a councillor, who has his own set of people who are available at the doorstep at just a phone call. This kind of system or mechanism is not possible with a ward engineer or MLA. The system is managed well if it is decentralised. Officials point out that Councillors and their team would reach the spot and resolve issues much faster than MLAs and other mechanisms.
He said that in the absence of councillors, the burden on MLAs, MPs and officials has increased. “The duty of MLAs and MPs is to make laws and not monitor floods or stagnant water on roads,” he added.
The matter has been in various courts, including the Supreme Court, which later directed the state government to hold polls. But the government is delaying it, citing ward reservation for the new 225 wards. Meanwhile, the government is also gearing up for Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill.