Division, a bigger blow to chaotic City, says HDK

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Monday strongly opposed the move to constitute two or more corporations in place of BBMP and warned that division of Bengaluru will deliver a bigger blow to the City.

Participating in a discussion on the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2015, he said division will lead to bigger problems. The government can ensure efficiency in providing services to people by tightening the BBMP administration. Mere size and population of the BBMP cannot be cited as reasons for its division. Constitution of two or more corporations is not a solution, he added.

He said it is not fair to blame only the BBMP for all the ills of Bengaluru. “BDA, BMTC and BWSSB are also in a mess. Large-scale irregularities have happened in these agencies also. These agencies were under the control of the government. Even the law and order has deteriorated in Bengaluru,” he added.

Though the government has constituted Bangalore Metropolitan Planning Committee headed by the chief minister to draw up a comprehensive plan, the panel is yet to meet. This is a testimony to the seriousness of the government for the development of Bengaluru. The KMC Act amendment Bill will also meet the same fate. The government is using the Bill as a pretext to postpone the elections to the BBMP, he said.

Kumaraswamy sought to know why the government is in a hurry to reconstitute the Bengaluru municipal area. The B S Patil committee set up to recommend to the government on reconstitution of Bengaluru municipal area is yet to submit its final report.

If the government has taken the decision on the reconstitution based on the committee’s
interim report, it should present the report before the Legislature.

“What will the government do if the committee recommends not to constitute two or more corporations in its final report,” he asked.