Ward committees in Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will become functional next month and they will hold monthly meetings in the third week every month, Mangalore Civic Group (MCG) said, quoting MCC Commissioner Akshy Sridhar.
A delegation of Mangalore Civic Group comprising Nigel Albuquerque, Prathapchandra Kedilaya, Suresh Nayak, Oswald Pereira, Gerard Towers, Harini Shetty, Marcel D’Souza, Dilip Vas Naik, Marcia D’Souza and Harry Rego met the Commissioner at his office to discuss various issues concerning the Ward Committees (WCs).
Clarifying on issues raised by the Group, the MCC Commissioner said the monthly meetings of WCs would be on a convenient day of the third week. The third week is the best period, compared to other weeks as the chairpersons (councillors) have council meetings on the fourth week where they can ratify the resolutions of their respective wards. The WCs can meet on any day of their choice during the third week, Sunday to Saturday.
Ward Committee Secretary would fill up vacancies in reserved categories of resident welfare associations and SC/ST after calling fresh applications. He or she may fill up the vacancies from general categories if no applications were received from reserved categories, said the Commissioner.
The commissioner informed the civic group that if a particular WC or WCs do not commence monthly meetings on their own, he might issue an order to that effect. Another training session for ward secretaries is being organised this month by NGO Janagraha, he added. The Commissioner also informed the delegation that WC members will participate in the next financial year’s budget process in their respective wards.
The commissioner agreed to provide booklets containing ward profiles, Corporation-owned assets, properties, revenue streams and a high-definition ward map to WC members.
Also Read — MCC awaits approval for DPRs on waste management
He told the delegation that not all political parties have responded to his directive to inform whether their members were selected to ward committees, police verification of pending criminal cases against members was complete, said the commissioner.
The commissioner said that the nomination of 121 Area Sabha representatives (ASRs) for the 60 wards is already completed. On a demand by the delegates for the formulation of by-laws, the Commissioner said that by-laws would be formulated and notified as and when required in the future, depending upon the ward committee experience.
Mangalore Civic Group has an objective to address various civic issues and concerns of the region of Mangaluru, based on the spirit of participatory democracy and Constitutional values and ideals, the members said.
Watch the latest DH Videos here: