Date:04/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/04/stories/2009070452040300.htm

Karnataka

ADB grants unused, alleges Congress

Staff Correspondent

They were given to Davangere City Corporation in 2006
Poor quality of roadworks highlighted

DAVANGERE: The Congress, which is in the Opposition in the Davangere City Corporation, has alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has failed to utilise funds granted by the Asian Development Bank (totalling Rs. 65.58 crore) in 2006 for the development of the city.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Shivanahalli Ramesh, Leader of the Opposition in the corporation, and Dinesh Shetty, senior councillor and Youth Congress leader, said the Government had sanctioned Rs. 65.58 crore to the corporation for various development projects such as supply of drinking water, proper drainage and provision of basic amenities. But even after four years, the corporation had failed to utilise the amount.

The leaders said the corporation had contributed Rs. 4 crore as a matching grant as stipulated by the ADB. As the funds had been mobilised with great difficulty, efforts should be made to chalk out a plan of action for their use.

Suggestion ignored

Davangere MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa had long ago suggested that the corporation get an express line connection from the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) so that the Rajanahalli jackwell pump house, which supplies drinking water to Davangere city, was not hit by frequent power shutdowns. This would have ensured that the city got regular drinking water. Had the corporation taken his suggestion seriously, there might not have been problems later on. Now the corporation had now started supplying drinking water once in four days owing to frequent power shutdowns.

‘Lakes neglected’

The Congress leaders also alleged that the corporation had failed to fill the Kunduwada lake and the TV tower lake with water from the Bhadra canals. As a result, there was very little water in them. It is through these lakes that water is channelled to many parts of the city.

Councillors Shivakumar, Jagadish and Nagaraj also alleged that substandard road-laying work was being carried out in different parts of the city, particularly on the Old RTO Road and MCC ‘B’ block. They also said newly laid roads in several areas had been washed away.