Mysore/Mysuru: The ambitious project of procuring cooking gas through pipeline at home through Piped Natural Gas (PNG) that has already begun and at a time when works are on to lay pipelines and metres to houses in Hebbal, several Corporators objected to the way the project is being implemented.

A Central Government initiative and a pet project of MP Pratap Simha, it is being implemented and the first phase aims to cover 40,000 houses. As the MCC had to approve the project implementation, the MP had urged the MCC Council to introduce the topic as an additional issue in the agenda.

Simha said that as it is a people-friendly project that will lead to energy conservation, fuel efficiency and also enable cost savings, speedy approvals are needed. He said that as he had to attend the Parliamentary sessions from Jan. 31, he requested the Council to discuss the issue at its meeting held yesterday.

This was opposed by a section of Corporators led by former Mayors Arif Hussain and Ayub Khan and Works Committee Chairman Sathyaraj, who argued that as the regular agenda has not been fully discussed there is no way that topics in the additional agenda are taken up for debate. They suggested paucity of time. 

Opposing the opposition, the MP said that the project has seen the light in many cities and Mysureans will be greatly benefited with the project. He said that the project will be further delayed if the MCC does not clear it and already works are in full swing.

Ruckus prevailed in the meeting when the BJP Corporators stood up to support Simha and the others objected to the move. A couple of Congress Corporators staged a boycott. Many JD(S) members too had left by then. As there was no quorum, the discussion on the gas pipeline was postponed to Jan. 27. 

Ashwini Ananthu Leader of Opposition

The MCC had not elected its Leader of Opposition till now and now that the term of the Mayor Sunanda Palanetra is coming to an end, Corporator Ashwini Ananthu has been elected as the Leader of the Opposition.

Due to a series of political developments and the rivalry between alliance partners, Sunanda of the BJP was elected as a Mayor. The post of the Leader of the Opposition was kept vacant due to many political compulsions and as several Corporators competed to occupy the posts of many standing committees.

Following pressure from a section of Corporators and MP Pratap Simha, the Mayor announced yesterday that Ashwini Ananthu of the JD(S) would be the Leader of the Opposition. This led to heated arguments between the Corporators loyal to their respective parties.