Mysore/Mysuru: With the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) likely  to present its budget next month, the MCC authorities had organised a pre-budget meeting at the MCC’s Council Hall this morning to elicit opinions from former Mayors, Corporators, Associations and Groups, Voluntary organisations and other  stakeholders.

Former Mayor R. Lingappa, who was among the first to address the meeting, said that there was a proposal before the MCC  during his tenure as the Mayor, seeking demolition of the over century old Devaraja Market and reconstruction of the same.

Pointing out that the market has turned dilapidated in the absence of any notable maintenance measures, he wanted the MCC to take a firm decision on whether to demolish and construct a new one at the same place while retaining all its heritage characteristics or retain the market building by taking up restoration and renovation.

Another former Mayor H.N. Srikantaiah said that about 1 lakh property owners in 28 localities of the city are not paying taxes to the MCC, which is alarming to note. Noting that the MCC’s main source of funds is collection of property taxes, he wanted the MCC to develop a mechanism for  streamlining all properties and collect taxes accordingly as it will significantly push up revenues of the MCC.

R.G. Narasimha Iyengar, another  former Mayor, wanted the MCC to keenly observe whether MUDA has left enough space for parks, CA sites, civic amenities etc., in layouts while taking over them from MUDA.

He further said that the MCC should focus more on waste management so that the city regains its cleanest city tag, which Mysuru boasted of not long ago.

The meeting was on when we went to the press.

MCC Commissioner Ashaad-Ur-Rahman Shariff, Deputy Commissioner Roopa, former Mayors Shivakumar, B.K. Prakash, R. Purushottam and other MCC officials were present.