Mangaluru: Despite the oppositions’ objections to the ruling party’s decision to restart the stalled Town Hall works, the council in a general meeting, approved a resolution that seeks to call a short tender to complete much delayed works of public hall.
The council and statutory committee (Town Planning and Development Committee) gave approval to call short tender to finish Town Hall works that has been split into four different parts. However, even as this approval was being considered by the council, the Nirmiti Kendra yesterday, June 28 resumed works of the first phase (99.75) which was then in October 2014 assigned to the Kendra and stopped it in Dec 2014.
The furious BJP opposition, in the council pulled out former Commissioner, MCC Hephsiba’s letter to the government that reported flaws committed by the Nirmiti Kendra in carrying out the works and vociferously said that the works could not be restarted until the government reverts on this matter of public concern. The BJP Corporators stormed the well of the house waving report sheets before the Mayor.
The leader of opposition in the council, Sudhir Shetty Kannur ahead of staging a demonstration in the well, addressed the Mayor saying there was no ‘proper’ meeting convened to take a final call on halted Town Hall works. He questioned “when will works on Town Hall begin?” He contended that though district-in-charge Minister Ramanath Rai had stipulated a four month deadline for the officials to complete the Town Hall renovation works, it cannot be materialized before stipulated deadline.
The former Commissioner had sought a response from the government pointing out major procedural lapses committed by the Nirmiti Kendra, a government agency entrusted with first phase of Town Hall works. The secretary of the Urban Development, to whom the official letter was addressed has not yet replied to the MCC (Mangaluru City Corporation).,hence works cannot be taken up at this juncture, he argued.
File goes missing in the MCC
Though, Congress in the council, suddenly put on the back foot by the BJP’s sensational display of Hephsiba’s report, suddenly resorted to the argument that said “the letter to the government by the former Commissioner was ‘personal correspondence’ and it has nothing to do with the MCC (Mangaluru City Corporation).”
When the BJP insisted that in-charge Commissioner Gokul Das Nayak answer on the government correspondence, he said the former Commissioner’s discourse happened when she was in office and there was no such file in the MCC at present. The Mayor urged the opposition to withdraw protests, following this opposition Councillors resumed their seats.
Related News:
Town Hall renovation: Nirmiti Kendra likely to take up second phase too, despite earlier objections
Rai hints that the left over Town Hall work will be done by Nirmithi Kendra
Hephsiba’s reports question functioning of Nirmiti Kendra in two projects
Ex-Commissioner Hephsiba’s report exposes Town Hall renovation mess; Ivan demands probe
