Corporators unhappy over draft copy of reframed bldg bye-laws

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : Corporators who attended a meeting convened at the DC office in the city recently to discuss the draft copy of the re-framed building bye-laws, accused the authorities of not taking them into confidence on the issue.
Most of the corporators who attended the meeting alleged that their rights have been violated by not taking their views into consideration while framing the bye-laws.
The corporators even demanded that the draft copy be placed in the MCC council meeting, on the grounds that it had several loopholes in it.
Prof, Arya, an expert, who spoke oat the meeting suggested that suitable building by-laws be implemented in order to ensure safety of the life and property in the city.
Diwaker, former city mayor who also spoke said the bye-laws in the draft copy prevents raising of constructions within 400 meter vicinity of monuments.
Corporator Shanker Bhat too expressed his opposition to the draft copy saying it was a useless law that needs a man raising a construction to knock the doors of 21 departments and seek 48 no-objection certificates.
Another corporator Mahabala Marla was of the opinion that the building bye-laws must be framed taking into view the Comprehensive Development Plan, so that the common man is subject to no hardship.
Mariamma Thomas on the other hand demanded some time for a study on the draft copy.
Finally there was a unanimous demand on the part of the corporators to place the draft copy before the corporation council meetings.
There was even a suggestion to translate the draft copy that was in English into Kannada and distribute the same to elected representatives.
As heated debate progressed, deputy commissioner Maheshwar Rao suggested that corporators can only make any suggestion or recommendation at the meeting that was convened just to seek suggestions on the draft copy.
He further stated that it was the government which would finalise the draft copy after duly taking into consideration the recommendations.
Katta Venkatramana of NITK, the chief of the expert team that reframed tbe bye-laws spoke on the draft copy.
Was neglect of
elected reps right?
Considered from one angle, the failure of the authorities to take into confidence the corporators and other elected representatives while formulating the building bye-laws can be termed right as it were the very same corporators who had earlier resolved that enforcing the NBC was unnecessary in the city, that too at a time when the illegal construction issue in the city was a burning issue.
But considered from some other angles, the neglect of elected representatives in this regard, can be considered wrong.