“If the BBMP is working like a post office then there is no need to run it on public money. Dismantle the entire institution and start afresh,” the High court said on Tuesday.
A division bench, comprising D H Waghela and Justice B V Nagarathna, lambasted the BBMP while hearing a suo muto petition on noise pollution filed by Malleswaram Residents Welfare Association.
During the hearing, the amicus curiae submitted that there were 41 cases pending in the High Court challenging the notices issued by BBMP on illegal construction, 950 in the Civil Court and 1,826 in the Karnataka Appellate Authority. The bench observed that BBMP is not working towards solving the pending cases. “If that section is not working, they better leave the post. We may direct the BBMP Commissioner to withhold their salaries. If you can identify those officials, file charge-sheet against them. There are many cases pending from the past three to four years which does not come under the court’s jurisdiction,” observed the bench.
If authorities cannot control pollution, it amounts to threatening one’s right to live. The officials have to take action, bench observed.