MYSURU: Artists, event managers and contractors, who decked up Mysuru and gave it the royal look it wore during the recent Dasara festivities, are now a disillusioned lot. Crores of rupees they billed for all the “hard work” they put in for the state’s premier event have not been paid even after six months, they complain.
Despite setting up the “best of venues” for Yuvadasara, Kannada Sammelan and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Sadana Samavesha, from where he showcased achievements of his government, their bills have not been cleared, leaving them “running from pillar to post” of the district administration.
With the Assembly election round the corner and bringing with it the code of conduct, their agony will increase, they lament. While some are making their pleas more vocal, others are threatening to resort to dharnas.
Artist Gopal, who made the much appreciated social justice tableau that also bagged a prize, will now stage a dharna at the DC’s office seeking the release of `6 lakh due. “I am taking the extreme step as it is more than six months that I have not been paid. I am paying interest for money I borrowed to complete the project, and this has got me into a lot of financial trouble,” he said.
Prakash, who had a hand in the success of the food mela, music festival and international seminar at the Dasara has a similar grouse. Only, his bills at `55 lakh are a lot higher. “What will we be left with after shelling out high interests on money we have taken to do what we did months ago?” he broods. “I shudder to think of what will happen is there is a change of guard after the elections,” he adds.
DC D Randeep said the bills would be settled as soon as the government releases the complete `10.75 crore grants it had committed to. “The government has released `5 crore. I have spoken to the CM’s office for the rest of the money,” he said.