Councillors challenge Commissioner

The special meeting convened to discuss on the newly proposed garbage bylaws witnessed a confrontation between councillors and BBMP Commissioner Rajneesh Goel.

It all started when Goel said that they are doing injustice to the villagers of Mandur and Mavallipura by dumping unscientific waste into landfills.

The commissioner said when he assumed charge last month, CM Jagadish Shettar had convened a meeting of those villagers and had promised to solve their problem in a month. Now, the time is over and villagers are planning to stop dumping garbage into those landfills from October 1. “It is time to wake up and streamline garbage disposal from October 1.  None of you will be able to show your faces to voters. There is a huge problem on our head and is that not visible?” he asked the councillors.

Goel further said they (councillors) are sitting in the AC chambers wearing good clothes. “But people staying near those landfills are facing problems. You should spend one night there to understand their problem. Let us hold a council meeting in that area,” he said.

Irked by this comment, Nandini Layout councillor M Nagaraj said, “It was officials who took the decision on landfills seven years ago. Because of them we are suffering. Why don’t you suspend your officials? Do you expect corporators to sweep the streets? What capability do you have? As an IAS officer, what have you done to solve the crisis?” he asked.

Goel said that the hike in diesel price has increased the transport cost. On this, Siddapura Councillor Udayshankar asked the commissioner if he is bigger than the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Goel said that he is just working according to the council’s directions.