Date:18/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/18/stories/2006031824270300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mayor, BMP Commissioner divided over expert's role

Staff Reporter

`R.K. Mishra can't interfere in BMP functioning'

Leaders seek apology from Mishra for his remarks

Corporators say they are receiving complaints about Mishra threatening officials

BANGALORE: Clash of egos between the elected representatives and the bureaucracy in the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) came to the fore on Friday with Mayor Mumtaz Begum and Commissioner K. Jothiramalingam having different views on the role of the member of the Empowered Committee on Infrastructure R.K. Mishra in road development works.

Addressing presspersons here on Friday, leaders of all parties, led by the Mayor, said Mr. Mishra had no powers to interfere in the functioning of the BMP.

"We have got several complaints that Mr. Mishra is threatening our officials. There is no need for the officials to obey him. I will direct the commissioner not to inspect roads along with Mr. Mishra," the Mayor said.

Furious over the remarks made by Mr. Mishra that the "corporators were trying to halt the IT/BT fast-track project because they were not getting a cut from the contractors," the members demanded an "unconditional apology" from him.

Memorandum

They said they would also submit a memorandum to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in this regard.

Hitting out at Mr. Mishra, the members, including Deputy Mayor M. Lakshminarayana, ruling party leader H. Ravindra, Opposition leader B.R. Nanjundappa, the former Mayor P.R. Ramesh and chairpersons of all standing committees, were firm on the view that the Indiranagar 80 ft. road did not require costly repairs.

Though the Chief Minister recently inspected the roads under the IT/BT fast-track project and said the development works could continue, the Mayor said she would refer the list of these roads to the Captain Raja Rao Committee for a review.

Mr. Jothiramalingam, however, said: "he cannot prevent anyone from accompanying him while he was on duty."

"Anybody can inspect the roads to check the quality and if the inspections help in ensuring good quality roads, they (inspections) are welcome," he said.

Pointing out that he had not received any communication from the Mayor in this regard, the commissioner said: "When there is an official communication (on not inspecting the roads with Mr. Mishra), I will see."

Denying any differences between the elected representatives and the bureaucracy, the commissioner said the strength of any road depended on its "core-thickness" and "BMP engineers have found it is not up to the mark on the Indiranagar 80 ft. road," he added.