Mysore/Mysuru: Chamaraja MLA L. Nagendra has asked the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) officials to collect tax from slum cleared areas where the MCC has provided civic amenities and other infrastructure.

He was addressing the Ashraya Samiti meeting of Chamaraja Assembly segment at the MCC’s old Council Hall here on Wednesday.

Expressing displeasure that tax was not being collected in some slum cleared  areas where the MCC has provided all civic amenities, Nagendra said that collection of a minimum tax from residents of these areas will not only enhance the revenues of the MCC, but also help in maintenance and improvement of the facilities.

Noting that the Karnataka Slum Clearance Board is yet to hand over 894 houses built by it in different areas to the MCC, the MLA said that there may be more number of such houses, which the authorities have to find out. The collection of tax from the residents of these houses is certainly helpful to the MCC to ensure that the amenities are in order, he added.

Continuing, Nagendra said that civic amenities works were taken up at Ambedkar Gnanaloka in Metagalli at a cost of Rs. 4.10 crore out of Government grants, Nagendra said that the MCC had failed to bring this locality under its purview though the civic body has been maintaining it for years. He directed the officials to bring these areas under the purview of the MCC without any further delay as any laxity or apathy would cost the MCC revenue earnings.

Referring to the issue concerning a Government land coming under Hebbal Survey No. 201 and located close to a Kalyana Mantap along the Ring Road, Nagendra instructed the officials to carry out a joint inspection and survey of 1 acre and 8 guntas of land where unauthorised constructions have come up. The MLA also asked the officials to distribute title deeds to all original beneficiaries of Ashraya houses in Hebbal. He further directed the officials to carry out an inspection of the spot where 7 houses are said to have illegally come up on Government land near the Swimming pool in Saraswathipuram.

Speaking about distribution of houses, Nagendra said that he has appealed the State’s Housing Minister V. Somanna to construct 3,000 houses to the shelterless residents of Chamaraja Constituency.

Maintaining that he has also sought the Minister to allot some of the houses sanctioned under various Government housing schemes to Chamaraja Constituency as well, he said that this process will commence soon after Cabinet approval.

MCC Additional Commissioner Roopa, Deputy Commissioner Savitha and other officials from Slum Board, Survey Department, Ashraya Samiti, MCC and others were present.