The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Reader's Mail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 17, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Reader's Mail

Appoint Upalokayukta

Sir, — After a brief gap, the Lokayukta has resumed surprise visits to Government offices and hospitals. The Lokayukta should reflect on the factors and causes of corruption and the means of plugging loopholes in the system.

He can function better if a Upalokuykta is appointed. It is not desirable for him to perform the duties of the Upalokayukta as well. Even the High Court held recently that the Lokayukta had no powers to perform the functions of the Upalokayukta. The Government should not delay the appointment of a Upalokayukta.

K.T. Thimmareddy,

Bangalore.

* * *

Property tax

Sir, — With the increasing demand for better civic amenities from the citizens and the rising costs for providing them, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) has no alternative but to devise a different and a more rational procedure for determining property taxes. Broadly speaking, the new capital-value system is welcome.

The civic body should have taken the people into confidence by publicising the proposed tax structure and inviting comments from them. It should have determined the revised tax for about 2,000 houses and compared them with the existing rates. People will agree to periodic increase in tax, but if they vary widely from the existing rates, there will be unease.

In the U.S., property tax is based on capital value, but it is changed only when the property changes hands. The result is that elderly people with meagre pensions do not pay the same amount as those paid by their neighbours who bought their houses recently. If such aspects are taken into account, the BMP can avoid hardship to people.

S.R. Valluri,

Bangalore.

* * *

Retrograde step

Sir, — The withdrawal of the circular issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms for using the languages of linguistic minorities in places where they form 15 per cent of the population is unfortunate and detrimental to the cause of Kannada in neighbouring States. For this retrograde step, the "caretaker" Government of the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, is also responsible.

Mr. Krishna has gone against the advice of the Commissioner of the National Linguistic Minorities Commission, Allahabad, who visited Bangalore recently and held discussions with the Chief Secretary. The Government has violated letter and spirit of Article 350 A and B of the Constitution.

By curbing the languages of linguistic minorities in the State, the Government and the Kannada Development Authority are laying the foundation for disaffection and animosity among Kannadigas.

Azeemuddin Azeem,

Bangalore.

* * *

Blocked drain

Sir, — A drain at the intersection of 22nd A Road at Marenahalli in J.P. Nagar Phase 2 is blocked. This is causing much inconvenience to passers-by and the stench from the partially open drain is unbearable. The repeated requests to the authorities to clear the drain and fix stone slabs on it and identify a garbage collection point have gone in vain.

N. Raju,

Bangalore.

* * *

Narrow roads

Sir, — This is regarding the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation's bus route nos. 89, 89 A, 89 D and 89/36.

These buses are plying on narrow roads at Kurubarahalli. Private vehicles are parked on both sides of the road, and this causes difficulties to bus drivers and the public. The BMTC should change the routes of the buses.

R. Prahlada Rao,

Bangalore.

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