Karnataka

Mysore musings

After a recent meeting of the Mysore City Corporation saw councillors cutting across party lines raise a hue and cry over the appointment of Deputy Commissioner P. Manivannan as the Special Officer for implementation of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) projects, it was presumed that the councillors were on a collision course with him.

However, Mr. Manivannanconvened a meeting of the councillors in Mysore on Monday to discuss the JNNURM projects.

Doubts were raised whether the councillors would attend the meeting, particularly after they had expressed their displeasure on his appointment less than four days ago. There were also rumours that the councillors were being mobilised to boycott the meeting.

But the councillors put to rest all the rumours and participated in the deliberations in good numbers. Most of the councillors even offered their cooperation to Mr. Manivannan as long as they were not given short shrift.

The task force constituted by the Government to carry forward the concept of Vision 2020 held a meeting in the city on Monday. But what was incomprehensible was the secrecy that marked the meeting which was held on the Infosys campus.

For one, gaining entry without an invite was next to impossible and no media persons were informed about the meeting.

The industry was represented in full measure but conspicuous by their absence were the real stakeholders of the city — members drawn from civic society, including non-governmental organisations. Ironically, the meeting was open to a select group of officials from different departments whose lack of creativity in dealing with emerging challenges is what led to the constitution of the task force in the first place!

LAIQH A. KHAN

R. KRISHNA KUMAR

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