significant issues were raised and discussed on the second day of the General House meeting of Jabalpur Municipal Corporation (JMC) held at Pt Bhawani Prasad Tiwari auditorium, on Friday. Both ruling and Opposition members held detailed discussion on issues like extension of Deputy Commissioner Sankhere, who is retiring in January, discrepancies in property taxes, financial constraints of the municipal corporation, shortage of surveyors, issues like menace of monkeys and politics on river Narmada, among others. Following discussion and debate, the meeting was adjourned until Tuesday.

 

On Friday, under other topics, matter of extension of Deputy Commissioner P N Sankhere, who is retiring in January was raised. Mayor Jagat Bahadur Singh and all corporators acknowledged that the Revenue Department will not function as smoothly in his absence. The Mayor stated that the Municipal Corporation needs officials with the experience of Sankhere and therefore, a proposal for his extension will be sent to the administration after discussion it in the Mayor-in-Council, on Monday. Similarly, Corporator ward no. 79 Rajni Sahu raised the issue of discrepancies in property taxes in the House. She said her ward, which transitioned from rural to urban, lacks city-like facilities and developmental activities, so why should property taxes be similar. She stressed on the urgency of resolving significant disparity, which was also agreed upon by the Mayor.

 

He stated that a quick resolution will provide relief to residents of wards transitioning from rural areas. Later, ruling party members also criticised the State Government for adopting step-motherly attitude with JMC. They said JMC administration blames shortage of funds for delay in various projects. They argued that if the municipal corporation is struggling with financial constraints, it is the responsibility of the State Government, not the municipal authority.

Ruling party members accused the Government of bias due to the Congress Mayor in JMC.

 

BJP corporators raised the issue of delay in regularising illegal colonies. They said residents of these colonies, after announcement, are approaching corporators to share their grievances, but the colony cell is not paying attention. They suggested that if we don’t have enough Surveyors, how can we conduct a survey of illegal colonies? The Opposition members also highlighted the issue of monkey menace in the areas like Garha, Ranjhi and urged for immediate action. Moreover, they stressed the need to stop false politics and propaganda related to the river Narmada.