The Mysore City Corporation (MCC) council on Friday gave an affectionate farewell to Commissioner C.G. Betsurmath who will be retiring from service on Saturday.
The meeting, which was presided over by Mayor B.L. Bhyrappa, recalled the contributions of Dr. Betsurmath, who had earlier served as the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru and the Commissioner of Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA). Dr. Betsurmath served the MCC for about 1 year 10 months.
During his tenure, Mysuru got the status of cleanest city in the country twice row under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
A native of Belagavi district, Dr. Betsurmath was instrumental in launching certain initiatives, especially in solid waste management front. Councillors, cutting across party lines, complimented the outgoing commissioner for his innovation that helped the city get name and fame, and bringing reforms in the administration.
Many of them wished that Dr. Betsurmath would have served a few more years in the MCC.
After the meeting, the council felicitated the commissioner and wished him happy retired life.
Earlier, the council passed a resolution to install a bust of Dr. Shivarathri Rajendra Swami near Gun House here to mark his birth centenary celebrations.
The meeting cleared the action plan for spending Rs. 25.50 crore of the general basic grant of the 14th Finance Commission after bringing a few changes to the plan on spending to ensure scientific distribution of funds to all 65 wards based on necessity of listed works.
Drinking water works, community toilets, underground drainage, solid waste management, storm water drains, maintenance of public properties, maintenance of roads and footpath, installation and maintenance of street lights are among the works necessary to be taken up from the grant in the wards.
Some councillors had expressed objections to the manner the funds had identified for distribution despite some wards had all facilities and described as “developed”.
The meeting also decided to write to the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary and the Deputy Commissioner to mandatorily invite the local elected representatives from the MCC to the public functions following instances of alleged neglect of councillors despite being the local elected members.
The Mayor also took objections to some MCC officials holding meeting with local MLAs without bringing the matter to the notice of MCC or inviting the Mayor or Deputy Mayor.
