Mangaluru: In another glaring indictment of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), the former Commissioner of the MCC (Mangaluru City Corporation), Hephsiba, had, before her transfer to the post of CEO, Vijaypur, in another report to the secretary of the Urban Development Society, castigated the functioning of the Corporation.

A report (18/CR63 (A) 15-16) to the secretary of Urban Development Department on the legal sanctity of the ‘development cell’  says that according to Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act 1976, the MCC has no powers to form a committee called the development cell in which decisions on major public projects are being taken. The report dated June 6, 2015, is available with the Newskarnataka.com.

The development cell in which the decision on one of the city’s major projects – the renovation of Town Hall – was taken, does not have legal sanction, the former Commissioner’s report points out clearly. Therefore the decision itself is  in contravention of  the KMC Act 1976. The former Commissioner in her conversation with this scribe opined that the decision on Town Hall should  have been taken in the Town Planning and Improvement Statutory Committee.

The report on the cell contended that the ‘value’ of the proceedings of the other four statutory committees formed in accordance with KMC Act are being affected, due to the holding official meetings in the development cell. Reportedly,  Hephsiba had walked out from a meeting of the development cell.

Key decisions on projects ought to have been taken at the Town Planning and Improvement Committee. “The proceedings of meeting of development cell do not comply with regular proceedings followed by other four statutory committee,” said Hephsiba when her views on the functioning of the cell were sought.

The report also revealed that the Mayor was forcing the former Commissioner to prepare the agenda and call for meetings of the cell that had no legal sanctity.

The former Mayor of the Mangaluru, Mahabala Marla contested this report claiming this is a business advisory committee.  He said that the KMC Act extends the right to the Mayor to constitute a committee to hold discussion on important subjects. “The Mayor also has the right to select members of her wish for the committee.” Marla further added that, though the committee does not have powers to sanction approval for projects, the same will be moved to the council for the required approvals.