HDMC neglecting to discharge routine duties ahead of President’s visit, say residents

Hubballi: Residents of various localities across the twin cities were delighted when the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), unprompted, started fixing pothole-riddled roads. Learning that the roads were being repaired for the benefit of the President did not displease them, since improvement of the condition of roads was paramount to them. However, residents of all the other localities are none too pleased with the HDMC’s direction. They pointed out that the civic agency was obsessed with the impending visit of the President that it had neglected its other duties. Disgruntled residents said that, even collection of garbage had taken a backseat, with the tippers not having visited many localities for some days. They pointed out that, had the HDMC been as attentive to its duties regularly, the officials would not have had to move heaven and earth to set things in order ahead of President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the twin cities.
Dr MC Sindhur, an activist, said that, work on various projects, including those undertaken by the Hubballi-Dharwad Smart City Ltd (HDSCL) had been affected owing to the disruption in normal operations. “But we are pleased that main roads, and the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridor are being cleaned. Given what we are seeing now, we must pray for more such visits to the twin cities each year,” said Dr Sindhur, pointing out that, while the heavy showers had cleansed the drains, they were growing filthy yet again, with authorities least concerned to clean them.
President of Shreya Park Residents’ Welfare Association, Hubballi, Lingaraj Dharwadshettar, said that tippers for collection of garbage were coming to their localities only once in two or three days. “But in Deshpande Nagar, where the President is being feted on Monday, is very fortunate on this count. The canal in the locality, and the adjoining wall, the state of which had been neglected for nearly a decade, were finally repaired. The pavements were cleaned with water jets for the first time. Despite this blatantly partisan attitude, we were willing to cooperate with the HDMC, but in pulling out workers from other areas to have them working in a select few localities through which the First Lady’s convoy will pass has disappointed us. I decided to take this issue to the HDMC office, but was asked to come after the President had left the twin cities,” he said.
Tolanakere resident, JB Hunsur said that a mound of garbage had surfaced on a road in the locality, cleaned only two days ago. “Grievances filed with the HDMC control room too are not being attended to,” he said.
HDMC officials told TOI that a circular had been issued to all zonal commissioners, asking them to depute staff to assist with preparations for the President’s visit. HDMC commissioner B Gopalkrishna was unavailable for comment, and did not respond to TOI’s messages.