‘There should be zero Covid deaths in Bengaluru’
In a first, N Manjunath Prasad took charge as the BBMP commissioner for the fourth time on Saturday. He says his aim is to ensure zero Covid deaths in the city and is prepared for sleepless nights. He was first appointed from April 25, 2016 to May 3, 2018, then June 26, 2018 till July 4, 2019 and again from July 15, 2019 to August 28, 2019.
How do you see your posting as commissioner again?
I consider myself lucky and also look at it as a challenge. Since I have a good rapport with elected representatives and citizens, it should not be difficult to continue from where the earlier commissioner left off. I am ready to once again have sleepless nights during this time of crisis. In fact, I was getting used to working in the revenue department and was happy with the changes made, like the land reforms amendment act. We were also recommending to the government on how to generate more revenues. But now with this new posting, there is no time to rest.
What is on top of your to-do list?
Bringing down the death rate tops my list. There should be zero Covid19 deaths in the city. For this, it is important to ensure there is rapid testing, quick test results and immediate shifting of patients to hospitals or Covid Care Centres. There is a need to take up more testing aggressively and to have a quick database of all ILI, SARI and comorbid people. The BBMP surveillance system will also need to be strengthened.
Do you think you can achieve what your predecessor couldn’t?
The government alone cannot handle this. Citizen involvement is vital.
Corruption is the biggest allegation against BBMP.
There is corruption and bringing in transparency has been a challenge. Many reforms were proposed and I had even started putting all expenses in the public domain and justifying all urgent expenses. I tell officials they should spend money like it is their own and not to waste it.
‘We did what was required at that moment’
The BBMP commissioner’s post has been tossed between two officers over the last three years. On Saturday, Additional Chief Secretary B H Anil Kumar was again replaced with Principal Secretary N Manjunath Prasad. On the last day of his duty, Kumar says that he did not regret his work or action, but only hoped he had more time to improve the city. He was first posted as BBMP commissioner from July 4, 2019 to July 15, 2019 and again from August 28, 2019 till date.
There has been speculation over why you were transferred. It includes you saying lockdown should be extended, High Court questioning facilities provided in containment zones and the recent renting of beds and utilities at CCCs...
It is the decision of the government. I have also heard same reasons and more. But now is not the time to discuss them. We (BBMP officials and team) did what was required at that moment to control the crises. Quick decisions needed to be taken.
What did you want to do on the Covid19 front and the newly appointed commissioner must address immediately?
There is a need for rapid and better testing in slums and congested areas. Isolation centres should be looked into and people must be shifted in time. Decentralising the process of attending to Covid19 patients should be speeded up by setting up CCCs at community and ward levels.
There are allegations of corruption
in the BBMP...
I agree that this has been a problem. I put in a system of tender evaluation and even brought down the tender premium from 25-30% to 5%. I was trying to bring in more transparency by putting everything in the public domain.
How do you look at your stint in BBMP?
It was a good and challenging experience. Every day was different. I have no regrets, but if only I had more time. I will take a break for a few days and then start my new assignment.