mangalore today

Councillors disturbance over Indira Canteen on CMC land


Mangalore Today News Network

Dec 01, 2017: The Indira Canteen issue created a hue and cry among the members during the City Municipal Council general body meeting on Nov 30,Thursday.

The issue was raised by BJP member Yashpal Suvarna, who questioned the credibility of the inaugural ceremony for the proposed project. The canteen is to be built on land owned by the CMC but members were not informed, he alleged.

Suvarna also complained that the members were kept in the dark and ignored during the inaugural ceremony. The CMC has failed to initiate action and keep the house informed over happenings.

CMC Commissoner Manjunathaiah, however, insisted that the Udupi DC  had taken the decision as she leads the nine-member committee set up for the purpose. Land owned by any department can be taken over without prior permission and also without the transfer of the land to start Indira canteens. Hence, there is no need for the deputy commissioner to seek permission from the CMC. It is a cabinet decision, he explained.

The two canteens will function in Manipal and Udupi in the CMC limits. Food is served at minimal price. It would be hygienic and healthy, added Manjunathaiah.

Following a heated exchange of words between the ruling and the Opposition members over the proposed Indira Canteen, CMC president Meenakshi Madhav Bannanje said that the work on the canteen would begin shortly. “The Opposition can create ruckus once the canteen starts functioning and if they find any loophole,” she challenged.

Road side shops  :  The members had another heated exchange of words for the stationing of illegal petty shops on road sides.  The issue was raised by CMC former president Yuvaraj. He alleged that the Opposition is least bothered although many illegal petty shops are found functioning by the roads.

The commissioner assured the angry members that he would take action and conduct a survey of the shops and submit a report in the next meeting. Action can be taken over evacuation, he told the members.

The president added that all illegal petty shops would be evacuated in town. The Opposition members, however, demanded a clarification. They also asked for the parameter to decide over the illegal aspect and also the process of evacuation.

The Municipality has come up with an elaborated sketch of water supply as per which the town would be segregated into three parts and would be supplied water at three separate timings. The environment engineer who is in charge, Raghavendra, said that for the water management plan, the Baje reservoir would be enabled with a six-metre bund wall to store the water. This is the first such attempt, he added.

Member Vasanti Shetty complained that the national highway authorities keep disrupting the water supply by cutting the water pipes that pass through her ward. Ambalpadi ward is divided as the national highway passes in the middle.

Chandrakantha Naik said the fish market at Santhekatte is not used by the fisher women. “They are sitting in the opposite area to sell fish. The fish market was built at the cost of Rs 10 lakh but is left abandoned. The area is not conducive to do business according to the fisher women,” said Naik.

The CMC commissioner said the fisher women would be offered additional facilities if they agree to do their business in the proposed set up.