BENGALURU: Although Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun’s term ends on September 28, she vows to continue serving people. The New Indian Express caught up with the city’s 52nd Mayor, who was also the city’s eighth woman Mayor. Excerpts from the conversation.
Are you satisfied with your term? What is that one thing you wanted to do but could not in your tenure?
Of course I am satisfied, but the term of the Mayor (one year) is too less. We announce some schemes and projects, but they do not get done during our tenure. So the term of the Mayor should be extended. For the development of the city and to ensure that projects announced reach their conclusion, a single year term for a Mayor is just too small. A five-year term should be shared by two Mayors for better administration and functioning. I am guilty of not being able to accomplish three things I had planned. The garbage crisis tops my list. The process became slow because of elections and the budget. I wanted corporates to partner with BBMP for projects under CSR funding, but could not do so due to the lack of time. The third being converting B-Khata sites to A-Khata. The idea was to increase the revenue for BBMP, which is yet to be done.
Now, since the budget has been sanctioned after much delay, what should the BBMP focus on?
The BBMP should focus on improving the condition of burial grounds and maintain parks, lakes and storm water drains. The announced schemes of setting up dialysis centres in all assembly constituencies, cancer detection buses, extension of pink baby scheme for all girl children, and improvement of Indira canteens are other schemes should get importance.
What are your top achievements as Mayor?
I maintained a feedback mechanism. Citizens could get back to me if work promised was not completed in time. I also worked on improving BBMP’s revenue and plugging leaks, along with identifying defaulters through street surveys. I ensured contractors continuously maintained storm water drains for a period of three years, to prevent flooding. Setting up air purifiers in the city to improve the ambient air quality. I will also take credit for improving the food quality in Indira Canteens by making officials and councillors eat Indira Canteen food.
What is your take on Indira Canteens?
The canteens will not stop. BBMP will not let them stop and more so now since Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has also assured people that they will not be stopped. Earlier, when the BJP government was in power, they had introduced many schemes under the name of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajapayee. The Congress or the coalition government did not shut down these schemes.
Is there a coordination problem with other agencies when it comes to improving the city?
Yes, that is a major challenge. I have suggested, just like chief secretary holds a meeting every fortnight with the heads of all departments, the new BBMP Commissioner, who is also an additional chief secretary, should hold a meeting with the heads of all agencies and corporators to take stock of the work and projects that need to be sped up.
