Mangaluru: Former minister and BJP leader B Nagaraj Shetty claimed that name of the Lighthouse Hill Road would be changed to honour former chairman of Vijaya Bank, Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty within 30 days, if BJP came to power.
Addressing a press meet at BJP’s Mangaluru South election office he said, “MCC had proposed to rename St. Aloysius College Road and the Lighthouse Hill Road to Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty Road in honour of former Chairman of Vijaya Bank Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty. Even though the proposal was approved by the state government led by Siddaramaiah, the official naming was delayed owing to pressure from Catholic community and subsequent intervention by Mangaluru South MLA JR Lobo to get a stay order.”
Giving details about the controversy he said, “A Mayor of MCC from Congress initiated the proposal, Congress government approved it and then a Congress MLA stopped it. This has hurt the sentiments of the people of the region, bunt community in particular. BJP had voiced these concerns of the people when the issue was being widely debated. We supported the renaming of the road in Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty’s name in recognition of his service to the society. We still stand by our decision. If BJP Government is formed in the state the road will be renamed within 30 days.”
“Being an alumnus of St. Aloysius College, I have due respect for the institution. An institution of such stature doesn’t need a road in its name to be known. It is a brand in itself. BJP will make sure that the earlier order of the government will be reinstated”, he added.
Ridiculing the support extended by independent candidate Srikar Prabhu to St. Aloysius College’s claim to the road, he said, “It looks as if Prabhu is a supporter of Congress candidate Lobo.”
On the subject of 24-hour water supply to Mangaluru promised by Lobo, he said, “A cost of Rs 40 Crore was estimated during BJP’s regime for the new vented dam in Thumbay. When the project was in its final stages, the Congress government said that the cost has gone upto Rs 75.5 Crore. How did the cost increase?”
Further, he alleged that even after spending so much on the vented dam, water supply in Mangaluru was still interrupted. “Even houses in the heart of the city are facing water scarcity and are dependent on other sources for their water needs. It’s a total failure of Lobo as MLA”, he said.
“A whopping Rs 307 Crore was loaned from ADB for improving the drainage and sewage treatment systems of the city but the sewage treatment plants at 4 locations in the city are not functioning properly. Many places in the city like Aanegundi in Bejai, untreated water is let to the storm water drains making the situation worse. What’s the point in taking hefty loans for projects which are of no use,” he questioned. He alleged that the ADB loan installments were not being repaid and the interest was pilling up.
MCC Corporator Premananda Shetty and others were present.
