Karnataka: Government clears decks for elections to Vijaypura Municipal Corporation

VIJAYAPURA: The notification issued by the state government finalising the reservation matrix for the wards of the Vijayapura Municipal Corporation Council signals readiness for the elections to the urban local body in the North Karnataka district. Although the government had issued a notification on the reservation of wards after the delimitation process was completed, numerous objections raised by functionaries of political parties, across the spectrum, compelled the state to revise the reservation matrix. The government only recently made public the reservation matrix for the 35 wards of the corporation. In all, 16 seats in the urban local body have been reserved for women.
Given that members to the Vijayapura City Municipal Council had been elected only recently when it was upgraded to the Vijayapura Municipal Corporation, the elected body was allowed to complete its term, which ended in 2018. However, elections were delayed owing to confusion over delimitation of the wards. With the decks being cleared for the elections, aspirants across parties have started lobbying for tickets to test their fortunes at the hustings.
The citizens, meanwhile, are clear in their expectations from the aspirants – comprehensive and sustainable development of the historic city. Given that sheer concentration of historic sites dotting the city, its potential as an international tourist destination ought to be exploited, feel residents. To that end, the first step must be to equip Vijayapura with all the essential basic amenities, and modernise its infrastructure, they said. Of the more than 100 heritage monuments in Vijayapura, 10 are sites of national importance.
Vijayapura City MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has been explicit in stating his interest to develop the city, and has been trying to secure funds to expand roads, reconstruct and streamline the underground drainage system. Once elected, the counsillors of the Vijayapura City Corporation will have to work in tandem with the Bijapur Development Authority, and other government agencies to ensure overall development of the city.
Gopal Naik, a scribe who is only too familiar with the requirements of Vijayapura city, said, “One of the more recent historic structures in the city is the Bhutanal Tank, which was constructed by none other than Sir M Visvesvaraya in 1914. The tank is spread across 120 acres, and was built with the aim of supplying water to 50,000 people at a time when the city boasted a population of only 30,000. A barrage across River Krishna in Baluti was the other structure, the construction of which, helped meet the drinking water requirements of the city. The civic agency itself was instituted more than 150 years ago.”
Among the many illustrious figures who have contributed to the development of Vijayapura are freedom fighters such as Hanumanthrao Koujalagi, Kavi, Kodekal, former minister BM Patil, his son MB Patil, Ramesh Jinajinagi, Appu Pattanshetti, et al, Naik added.