Greater Mysuru: Mayor says Minister to hold crucial meeting soon

MYSURU

The concept of ‘Greater Mysuru’ may get a clearer picture soon as a crucial meeting is expected to happen in the coming days. It will be chaired by Minister in-charge of the district S.T. Somashekar with the Mysuru City Corporation that appears to be keen for the expansion of its limits since it has been providing services in areas not under its jurisdiction.

Mayor (acting) Sunanda Palanetra said the MCC is preparing its presentation to be made at the meeting as the expansion of the area beyond the ORR would widen its tax network. “The tax is going to the Mysore Urban Development Authority though services such as drinking water and solid waste collection were being provided by the MCC in areas approved by the authority. The MCC needs to get its revenue collection strengthened and Greater Mysuru must happen sooner or later,” she added.

She said, “The factors that suggest the constitution of Greater Mysuru City Corporation will be discussed threadbare at the meeting. The MCC will bring into picture all the aspects that make its case stronger for the expansion of its limits. If it happens, the number of wards will go up from 65 to 100. Other than the areas where the elections of TPs have taken place, the remaining ones may be brought under greater Mysuru.”

Residents of many such areas, including layouts developed or approved by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), have been denied of basic amenities including drinking water. The absence of a garbage collection mechanism in the areas falling outside the jurisdiction of MCC has led to indiscriminate dumping of household and other waste on vacant areas along the Outer Ring Road. Also, the MCC has been collecting solid waste from GPs that are now part of the city. Yet, the areas are still part of the panchayats.

The jurisdiction of MCC stretches across a total of 128.4 sq km inside the Outer Ring Road. Mysuru has witnessed growth beyond the ring road but this does not fall under the MCC as these areas are part of MUDA limits but governed by the GPs.

The long-pending proposal to expand MCC jurisdiction including several villages on the outskirts and upgrade the civic body into Bruhat Mahanagara Palike on the lines of BBMP is gaining traction with elected representatives, including Mysuru MP Pratap Simha.

Mr. Somashekar had stated earlier that villages falling under the limits of eight gram panchayats on the outskirts of Mysuru will qualify to be included in the expanded civic body. However, he said it was up to the State government to examine whether MCC should be upgraded on the basis of population or any other parameters.