CM to supervise slum development

By Afshan Yasmeen

BANGALORE, NOV. 28. Slum-dwellers played a key role in the recent Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) elections. Having won just a few wards with a predominant presence of slums, the ruling Congress appears to have realised the importance of slum development.

The Chief Minister, Mr. S.M.Krishna, has reportedly directed the Mayor, Mr. K.Chandrashekar, the BMP Commissioner, Mr. Ashok M.Dalwai, and the Chairman of the Karnataka Slum Clearance Board, Mr. C.R.Narayanappa, to take immediate steps for the comprehensive development of the slums in the City.

``The election results has come as an eye-opener. We have spent last year on various infrastructure works, ignoring the slums. The focus should be on slum development this year and I will supervise the work,'' Mr. Krishna reportedly told the Mayor, and a group of corporators, including the former Mayor, Mr. M.Ramachandrappa, who met him on Sunday.

It is learnt that Mr. Krishna expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of those who had headed the board in the past. He directed Mr. Narayanappa to immediately convene a meeting and discuss the issue with Mr. Dalwai and other officers concerned.

The poll results show that the Congress candidates have won from just a few wards -- Azadnagar, Galeyara Balaga, Chamarajpet, Gandhinagar, Bashyamnagar, Sudhamanagar, Bapujinagar, Madivala, and Lingarajpuram -- with a predominant presence of slums. The candidates of other political parties and even independents have won in other such wards.

``We have failed to impress the voters in Kamalanagar, J.J.Nagar, Ganesh Mandir, Sevashram, Ramachandrapuram, Kadugondanahalli, Neelsandra, Austin town, Sagayapuram, Kavalbyrasandra, Hebbal, Jogupalya, Airport, Jeevanbhimanagar, and several other wards,'' Mr. Ramachandrappa said.

``We were under the impression that slum-dwellers were a solid Congress vote-bank. But, this time, the notion has been disproved. So the party is bent on taking up slum development on priority this year,'' party sources said.

Meanwhile, with the State Government having decided to entrust the task of comprehensive development of slums to the board, the BMP will soon hand over 106 slums to it. The Bangalore Development Authority handed over 60 slums to the board last week, Mr. Narayanappa told The Hindu on Wednesday.

He said the board would soon start the works under the Nirmala Jyothi programme in the State. The development of 325 slums in the City would be taken up in four phases at a cost of Rs. 508 crore, he added.

Under the first phase, the board would take a loan of Rs. 67 crore from HUDCO. The Centre would give a matching grant. Toilet complexes, roads, pipelines, power connections, and houses for the homeless would be constructed in 50 slums in that phase.

Mr. Narayanappa said he discussed the issue with the Union Minister for Urban Development, Mr. Ananth Kumar, last week.

The board had asked the MLAs from the City to identify slums, which needed immediate attention, in their constituencies. They would be developed in the first phase, Mr. Narayanappa added.

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