Mysuru: Municipal Administration Minister H.C. Balakrishna directed the officials to immediately launch a special drive to clear encroachments of properties belonging to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

He was speaking after chairing a progress review meeting of ULBs in Mysuru, Kodagu and Chamarajanagar districts at the Regional Commissioner’s Office here yesterday.

“Collection and consolidation of all sorts of revenues is important for providing various infrastructure facilities such as drinking water, roads, UGDs, street lights etc. As such it is essential that the officials collect property tax and other service charges in full within the stipulated time. Presentation of budget should not be only for name sake. It should be supplemented by tax collection,” Balakrishna noted.

Cautioning that the concerned engineers would be held responsible if developmental works are  not completed on time, the Minister instructed the officials to serve notice three times to such contractors who do not maintain quality and do not expedite works on time.

“Contractors who violate the tender norms should be blacklisted. The district administrations should seek deputation  of engineers from the PWD Department wherever there is shortage of engineers”, he said.

Continuing,  Balakrishna said that several companies have come forward for bio-gas production from wastes generated  in urban areas and an agreement in this regard will soon be reached with qualifying companies. Pointing out that an act has been enacted for converting private roads as public roads, he maintained that a full stop would be put for unauthorised formation of layouts.

Directorate of Municipal Administration Director P.S. Ravindra cautioned that the works  expenses would get higher as SR rates will go up if Government grants are not utilised on time. As such, the officials should expedite tax and other revenues collection and speed up developmental works, he pointed out.

Chamarajanagar District In-charge  Minister C. Puttarangashetty, MP Yaduveer Wadiyar, MLAs G.T. Devegowda, Dr. Manthar Gowda, A.S. Ponnanna, D. Ravishankar and K. Venkatesh, MLCs C.N. Manjegowda, K. Vivekananda, Dr. D. Thimmaiah and K. Shivakumar, Urban Development Department Secretary B.B. Cauvery, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, Chamarajanagar DC Sriroopa and other officials were present.