Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter BANGALORE NEEDS "POWER"FUL MAYOR WITH FARSIGHT...

FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER 

BANGALORE NEEDS "POWER"FUL MAYOR WITH FARSIGHT... 

 After a gap of 3 years, the BBMP now has elected body to manage the affairs of Bangalore. But the beginning of the rule of the elected Mayor, was definitely, not a good one. The Mayor had to adjourn the council meeting which turned ugly. The need of the hour is co-operation and not confrontation. The noisy scences skirmishes and blame game are a routine in any democratic institution. But it must not be at the cost of Bangalore and Bangaloreans. It is time our city Fathers and Mothers, to concentrate on Bangalore to make it gain its prominent name in the world again . . . 

 At long last, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike now has the advantage of the first ever elected body. This is the first election after the BBMP was formed in 2007 by merging the seven CMCs, one TMC and 110 villages with the BMP. The area of BBMP is a staggering 850 square kms. This is equal to the size of many small states. 

Unfortunately elections were not held to BBMP since then. Even earlier, the elections to BMP was not held on the pretext of formation of BBMP. Infact, the BBMP was formed to get maximum grants from the JnNURM. The central government had put a condition that unless the state forms BBMP, it will not receive much grants under JnNURM. The then Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy readily agreed to the condition and formed the BBMP. As a result, BBMP has been given a whopping grant of 22 thousand crores under JnNURM project to improve the infrastructure, spread over a period of five years. 

Ever since the formation of the BBMP it was under bureaucrats rule. The bureaucrats who do not understand the multidimensional problems of Bangalore have shown lackadaisical attitude towards solving the problems. All their activities were ‘adhoc’ and they simply lacked the will to prepare long term projects. If there were people’s representatives, they would be in a better position to understand the problems and the remedial measures to solve the problems. For the last three and half years, the BBMP has become cess pool of corruption. The bureaucracy ruled the roost and with thousands of crore grants from the central government under JnNURM, they literally looted BBMP. Unnecessary and unviable projects were started and because of the high level of corruption, sub standard and bogus works have become the mainsay in BBMP all these years. 

 The officials lacked farsight and all that they want is to implement few projects which can be ‘show pieces’ and as nobody questioned them about the cost, the cost of the projects were highly inflated. The case of underpass from Tagore circle to Nettakallappa Circle in Basavanagudi stands as the ¥sÀshining example for this phenomenon. There is absolutely no need for an underpass as the vehicular traffic is not much. Nobody asked for it also. But still, the BBMP took up the work and the work is going at a snail’s pace. The public have held demonstrations and agitations against the under pass but to no avail. The same is the case with National College Fly over which was built despite local resistance. It has not helped either to ease the traffic or problems of the people. Now that Metro line is passing through this flyover, the flyover had to be demolished! 

Forget about all these. Elections to the BBMP were postponed on one or the other contexts. First, the excuse was that the wards had to reorganised. The BMP had 100 wards and the government formed 145 wards to the BBMP. Then suddenly, the number of wards were increased to 198. Then came the reservation of wards etc. But the High Court and the Supreme Court had come to the rescue of democratic traditions by ordering the government to hold elections to the BBMP. Having no other go, the government was forced to hold the elections and BJP which bagged 111 seats out of 198, has come to power. 

As usual, S.K.Nataraj was elected as Mayor and Dayananda Deputy Mayor of the BBMP. It is they who have to guide the destiny of Bangalore for the next one year. One year term is very short for any Mayor to leave his footprints. But still, the Mayor could do a lot and earn public esteem. Definitely, it is a herculian task, given the numbers in BBMP. The BBMP has 198 elected corporators and the government could nominate 20 corporators. In addition to this, all the 28 MLAs, 3 MPs, MLCs in Bangalore will also join the BBMP as corporators. In toto, there will be 270 members in BBMP which is almost the total of MLAs and MLCs in the state. The Mayor despite presiding over the Meeting does not have sweeping powers like Speaker or Chairman of the legislature. In addition to this the Mayor is only the titular head with the commissioner monopolising the powers. The Mayor does not have any executive powers. As such, the entire BBMP council will have to perform at the mercy of the commissioner. 

Still, many Mayors in the past, have asserted their powers and forced the commissioners fall in line. This can happen only if the Mayor has good rapport with the Chief Minister. Otherwise, a Commissioner can simply refuse to implement any orders/directions by the Mayor. When this being the case how one could expect the Mayor Nataraj to perform well? The first meeting of the council chaired by him ended in fiasco as he could not control the opposition members who were creating a scene for providing water to the people. If the same trend continues, there will be no one to conduct the proceedings in an orderly manner. 

 True, Dharanas, jumping to the well, protests, noisy scenes by opposition has become a normal culture. But it needs patience, tolerance, presence of mind by the Mayor to cool the temperature so that proceedings can be held peacefully. 

The Mayor Nataraj, a three time corporator has experience on his side. He needs to take the opposition into confidence and run the show without politicising every issues. The Mayor should also get the support and co-operation from the MLAs, MPs and MLCs cutting across party lines. Only then the Mayor can take on the people’s problems and Bangalore’s chaotic conditions. 

In addition to this, the government has to provide executive powers to the Mayor unlike the present decorative powers. The Mayor is the first citizen of Bangalore and he should be given his due. The Mayors in Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkatta etc. are veted with executive powers. In Chennai, the Mayor is elected directly by the people and the term of the Mayor is five years. As such, these Mayors can really do things in a better way. It is time the government accords better powers to the BBMP Mayor so that he can effectively try to solve the problems. The need of the hour is the Mayor with powers and long term, for the betterment of Bangalore.