Tax hike opposed at the Udupi CMC meet

Tax hike opposed at the Udupi CMC meet

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Oct 4, 2015: CMC- City Municipal Council, members of the opposition party unanimously opposed the hike in tax and inadequate disbursement of funds to the wards released under the 14th Finance Commission at the CMC meet.   Raising the issue, member Yaspal Suvarna said that the MLA had assured that there will be no hike in tax  for three years. But now it is hiked and the people in some wards who are entitled to the benefits equally like those in the other wards, are meted out injustice.  Funds released under the 14th Finance Commission is not equally distributed to all wards. Only 20 wards are taken into consideration.

The member,  also raised objections for including the issue in the supplementary agenda and said that the members were not informed.  President Yuvaraj said the house will receive Rs four crore under the programme. The amount should be judiciously distributed based on priority.

The members jumped into the well of the house and returned the supplementary agenda copies expressing their dissatisfaction.  Cleanliness and other maintenance aspects at Malpe beach and St Mary’s island were some of the issues that led to heated arguments among the members.

A person said to be named Sudesh Shetty,  set up food courts in both the areas. He was allowed to set up food courts on conditions of maintaining cleanliness, but now he is least bothered about the rules put forth by the Malpe development Committee;  member Prashanth Ameen complained.  The CMC Commissioner is involved with the person for self gain. The parking in the area is a mess while the waste dumped along the shores is not cleaned regularly.

Members also expressed their displeasure over the delay in the works of Nirmithi Kendra.  Yuvraj said, that the second phase of the ADB scheme, the underground drainage system in the limits of Udupi Municipality will be taken up for construction and repair works. The draft plan is chalked out at a cost of Rs 169 crore and the proposal will be sent shortly.

Members termed the Udupi District Development Committee as useless, stating that the Udupi DC  had not even called a single meeting.  They also discussed the bad roads and potholes in the district, complaining most of the roads in the CMC limits were in bad condition and expressed discontent over earmarking a meagre amount of Rs 1.5 lakh for repair works.   The members also demanded clarifications over the development works taken up ahead of the Paryaya celebrations in the district.