B’pur Corporator quits over ward delimitation

The Brahmapur Municipal Corporation (BMC) witnessed a severe commotion over delimitation of wards at its council meeting that passed the BMC’s annual budget here on March 1.

As soon as the council met, over 15 Corporators, including B Srinivas Rao, Ashok Sukla and Anil Nayk, raised the voice against the delimitation and reservation of wards wanting to know that why they were not consulted in that regard.

However, BMC Commissioner Chakraborty Singh Rathore said the BMC authorities implemented a decision taken at the last council meeting for reorganisation and delimitation of wards and there is nothing wrong in it.

In protest, Ward 34 Congress Corporator B Srinivas Rao resigned from his post and left the meeting hall. “The number of sanitation workers has been lessened and bus stop and community centres neglected. Beneficiaries have not been provided ration cards in my ward,” alleged Rao. 

Similarly, Ward 26 Corporator Namita Panda sat on a dharna inside the council hall.

Amid ruckus, an Annual Budget of Rs 285,99,19,399 was presented and passed. The Budget includes the BMC’s own revenue of Rs 112 crore.

While Deputy Mayor Jyotsna Nayak presided over the meeting, MP Sidhanta Mohapatra, MLA Dr Ramesh Chandra Chyaupatnaik, Commissioner Chakraborty Singh Rathore and Deputy Commissioner Surendra Routray were present.