If officials don’t fall in line, I’ll discipline them: Mayor N. Shantha Kumari

Bengaluru: “When our offices are not clean, how can we keep our city clean? I am here to achieve something within the limited time that I have. If officials don’t reciprocate, I will have to discipline you all,” said Mayor N. Shantha Kumari in a stern warning to officials on Monday. Addressing BBMP officials from all the eight zones in her first review meeting, she took the officials to task for works progressing slowly across the city. Directing them to speed up works and to submit new deadlines for the projects, she said, “On Magadi Road, a foundation stone was laid for an underpass one-and-a-half-year ago, but the work has still not started. On Mysore Road, there is an open drain and sewage flows on the road disrupting traffic movement. The problem has existed for the last many years. Why hasn't anybody tried to solve the problem?”

She ordered officials to submit a programme of works and give a schedule by when the ongoing works would be completed. Setting a deadline to clear files, she said, “I will conduct surprise inspections and if files are not cleared within three to five days, disciplinary action will be initiated against erring officials.” She said that the forest department's work was not visible in the city and they have done a shoddy job of cutting trees on the roadside, exposing commuters to danger. The mayor sought to know how many crematoriums were functioning in the city to dispose bodies of dead animals. Maruti Mandir ward corporator V. Vagish replied that there was only one crematorium in Sumanahalli and that too was under construction. On the plight of outsourced teachers, the mayor said, “These teachers earn pittance after all the deductions. How will they run their families?’’