BANGALORE: Several councillors in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Council meeting demanded that Namma Metro should be brought under the BBMP tax net. M K Gunashekhar, councillor of Jayamahal ward, placed the demand on the floor.“Almost Rs 40-60 lakh has been collected by the Metro. BMRCL is using Palike’s land and roads. What has the Palike got in return? BBMP should not exempt Namma Metro from property tax,” he informed the Council.BBMP councillors expressed anger over the exclusion of BBMP officials from the launch of Namma Metro, which was done amid great fanfare on October 20.K Chandrashekar, councillor of Hanumanthnagar, said, “Protocol was not followed during the launch. Why was the Mayor, Commissioner and the Councillor not given due respect and attention? We condemn this violation.” He also added that director of BMRCL N Sivasailam should be summoned to the Council for an explanation.In reply, Commissioner H Siddaiah informed the Council that complete taxation was not possible.“I cannot comment on violation of protocol. Secondly, we are in the process of bringing Namma Metro under the tax net. We are collecting measurement details. Property tax will be levied only for stations and not for tracks,” he said.Delay in budgetOpposition leader in the BBMP M Uday Shankar alleged that there was a deliberate delay in the approval of this year’s budget. “The budget was presented on August 18. Seven months have already passed by. How do you expect us to develop the city without funds? We want the mayor to release funds for respective wards immediately,” he demanded."If it is approved in November, we will be left with only 5 months. We cannot bring changes so soon. What can we do in such constrained time limits,” Uday Shankar asked the Council.Delay in appointmentCouncillors expressed anger over the delayed appointment of 4,500 pourakarmikas. T Mallesh, a Congress councillor of Subash Nagar, raised the issue during the meeting, hinting at a probable anti-Dalit agenda within the BJP-dominated Council. “The BJP government had issued an order for the appointment of 4,500 pourakarmikas. We requested for the same in several previous meetings. Is there an anti-Dalit conspiracy hatching inside the council,” questioned Mallesh.Slain councillor rememberedThe Council meeting began with condolences to slain Gandhinagar councillor S Nataraj. “Councillors are being targeted. We have lost a respectable social worker, and it is time for all of us to be careful,” said B R Nanjundappa, councillor, J P Park.JD(S) leader Padmanabha Reddy, while demanding police protection for councillors, he said active rowdies in the city have to be dealt with strictly. “I think this was a politically-motivated murder, and the police should crackdown on anti-social elements,” he said.Hoardings, advertisements and flex bannersThe issue of illegal advertisements and hoarding in the city was raised by opposition leader M Uday Shankar. “There are many illegal hoardings in the city. Even on minor occasions, local leaders put up large banners all over their wards. Every time the Palike wants to crackdown on this, somebody would get a stay order from court. This has to stop,” he said.Amidst the debate on hoardings, Congress councillors targeted BJP counterparts for violating their own word about hoardings, as banners on L K Advani’s Jan Chetana Yatra are springing up all over the city. “This is not just about one party. The issue applies to all councillors. Besides, we have sought permission for Advani’s banners,” said Katte Satyanarayana.
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