Date:18/01/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/01/18/stories/2004011803990300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Panel to select names for Kempe Gowda Award

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JAN. 17. Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) has decided to do away with the practice of selecting candidates for Kempe Gowda Award based on applications. Instead, an experts' panel will identify eminent persons for the award. If anyone tries to lobby for the award or puts pressure on the committee, he will not be considered, the Mayor, P.R. Ramesh, said here.

Addressing a group of former mayors, he said selecting a person for an award from those who had applied for it was not a healthy practice. "There are so many people who deserve recognition. They don't wish to apply for any awards. We should identify such persons and honour them," he said. He appealed to the citizens not to apply for the award and pointed out that the number of awards would be reduced.

The former Mayor, G. Narayan, said the Kempe Gowda festival and Karaga should be celebrated as public festivals. The State Government, the BMP, and its aided organisations besides private firms should actively involve themselves in these festivals, he said. J. Huchappa and K.H.N. Simha, former mayors, supported his views. The BMP Commissioner, M.R. Sreenivas Murthy, and the Deputy Mayor, G.Basvaraju, were present.