Mysore/Mysuru: The first State-level Model Vidhana Sabha and Legislative Drafting Competition, organised by JSS Law College of city, was held at the Conference Hall in Mysuru City Corporation.

Karnataka Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader had formally inaugurated the competition at the venue on Friday evening. About 55 students from over 15 different Law Colleges across the State took part in the event.

Narasimharaja (NR) MLA Tanveer Sait distributed prizes to the winners at the valedictory function held on Saturday evening.

Bengaluru Law College student Aditya V. Shetty functioned as the Assembly Speaker, Belagavi’s R.L. College student Satish functioned as Deputy Speaker, K.H. Yeshwanth of Saraswathi College in Chitradurga as the Chief Minister, JSS Law College student D. Basanth as Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister and M. Jeevan of city’s Vidyavardhaka Law College as the Opposition leader.

The students emulated the actions of the Legislators in the Assembly and also that of the Chief Minister, other Cabinet Ministers, Opposition leader and other ruling and Opposition parties members.

MCC Commissioner Ashaad-Ur-Rahman Shariff, Joint Director of Tourism M.K. Savitha, JSS Law College Principal A. Nataraj, Co-ordinator G. Asmathunnisa, Maharani PG Centre faculty Hemachandra and others were present.

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Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru Regional Commissioner G.C. Prakash, who is also the MCC (Mysuru City Corporation) Administrative Officer, presented a Rs.1,067.06 crore budget of the civic body  for the year 2024-25 here yesterday.

The budget lays emphasis on green initiatives like disposal of legacy waste, recycling of plastic, installation of solar power panels and Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) theme park. The Budget also envisages a slew of projects for the development of the city, including augmentation of water supply, building debris recycling plant and introduction of pay and park system, among others.

The MCC expects a revenue of Rs.1,067.06 crore and proposes an expenditure of Rs.1,060.18 crore, thus leading to a surplus of Rs.6.88 crore for the 2024-25 financial year. In addition, the MCC is expecting a grant of Rs. 25 crore from the Government.

The MCC has projected to collect a revenue of Rs. 204.80 crore through property tax, Rs. 79.85 crore through water tax and UGD fee. Rs. 13.2  crore through building license and other fees, Rs. 6.35 crore from  Trade License, Rs.3.09 crore through rentals from commercial complexes, markets and others in 2024-25.

Green initiatives

The Corporation plans to speed up implementation of bio-mining and re-mediation project, to dispose 6.01 lakh tonnes of legacy waste on 22 acres landfill at Vidyaranyapuram Compost Unit. The MCC has planned to hire 336 more employees via SHGs and NGOs for segregation of solid waste at source and collection.

The civic body has proposed to establish a building debris waste plant on 9.5 acres of land near Sathagalli Bus Depot. It has also planned to build a plastic recycling plant of 50 TPD capacity, under PPP model for scientific disposal of plastics generated in city. Installation of solar panels in three solid waste management plants through CSR funds is also planned.

This apart, there are plans to develop Cheluvamba Park in Vontikoppal as a RWH theme park, in order to create public awareness on rainwater harvesting.

Other plans include adoption of E-office technology at MCC Main Office and all zonal offices,  construction of a new building for MCC Zone-9 Office, which is currently functioning from a MUDA Building in Gayathripuram.

MCC Commissioner Ashaad-ur-Rahman Shariff and other officials were present.

Pay-and-park

The MCC plans to introduce Pay-and-park facility on D. Devaraj Urs Road, multi-level parking complex in Town Hall (Rangacharlu Memorial Hall) premises in the heart of the city and at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry on Vinoba Road, to ease traffic movement. Also, plans are afoot for further improvement of facilities at the Town Hall Multi-Level Parking complex.

Water and UGD

The Underground Drainage (UGD) system will be expanded and a new UGD line stretching to 15 km will be laid at a cost of Rs. 80 crore. There are also plans to develop 35 km main UGD lines by connecting them to sewage treatment plants. Also, the upgradation of Kabini-Kembaalu water treatment plant with 60 MLD to 120 MLD capacity will be taken up this year.

Trin Trin

Trin Trin, the city’s public bicycle-sharing initiative will be expanded in the second phase of the project, which also envisages addition of more docking hubs in the city. The city already has 1,000 pedal assist bicycles, with GPS tracking and 100 docking hubs.

Lakes and parks

The MCC plans to rejuvenate Devanur Lake with treated sewage water from surrounding areas. The civic body plans to develop Kalyanis (Water tanks) at Bogadi Lake, Ayyajayyanahundi, Thippayyanakere and Saraswathipuram comprehensively. The other plans include development of Sainika Park at Dattagalli, park near the Old DC Office building, Kalyanagiri Park, Kadalivana Park and Akbar Ali Park. The other proposals include development of prominent circles of city with CSR funds.

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Mysore/Mysuru: Traffic signboards or signages are essential components of any road infrastructure, serving as vital navigational aids for both tourists and city residents. They convey crucial information to commuters, directing them towards their intended destinations.

Recently, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) installed a huge directional signboard along Hunsur Road, positioned after the Aishwarya Petrol Bunk junction. However, rather than adhering to its primary function of displaying directional information, approximately 75 percent of the signboard’s space is allocated for advertising purposes, prominently featuring contact numbers.

Regulations stipulate that directional indicators and destination markers should dominate the signage, with advertising content confined to a minimal portion of the space. Unfortunately, in this instance, the established proportion has been grossly violated, prioritising advertisement placement over navigational guidance.

Furthermore, the arrangement of direction indicators on the signboard exacerbates the issue. Typically, the names of destinations should be positioned on the left side of the hoarding, facilitating easy viewing for commuters entering Mysuru city from the Hunsur side.

However, in this instance, crucial destinations such as Kalidasa Road, Railway Station, Chamundi Hill, Mysore Palace, SJCE, T.K. Layout and others are inexplicably placed on the extreme right of the signboard, rendering them ineffective for their intended purpose.

This misplacement of the destinations and directions to the right side compels commuters travelling on the left side of the two-way road to look to the right and have to slow down the vehicle to read the signages on this busy road, which is a risky proposition.   

It’s important to note that faulty road signage and signals significantly contribute to traffic congestion, accidents and pile-ups. Deficiencies such as defective traffic signals, improperly positioned signboards — sometimes obscured by foliage — and inconsistent road markings often result in numerous traffic violations.

Hope the authorities will set right this wrong on the signage.

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Mysore/Mysuru: In a bid to safeguard the rich heritage of Mysuru, the District Heritage Committee has decided to conserve the historic Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) building on New Sayyaji Rao Road so that the future generations can continue to appreciate the city’s rich historical tapestry.

Chaired by Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra, who is the Chairman of the Heritage Committee, the crucial Committee meeting that was convened on Wednesday highlighted growing concerns over the deteriorating condition of the iconic structure. Members expressed alarm over the building’s weakening structure, attributing it to leaks in the roof which pose a significant risk.

During deliberations, heritage experts shed light on the issue, emphasising that rainwater seepage through the roof had led to structural vulnerabilities. They pointed out that previous interventions, particularly during the installation of solar equipment where nails were driven into the ceiling, had caused further damage by creating openings for rainwater to seep into walls, weakening them.

Highlighting the urgency of the situation, retired Professor from the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Mysore Prof. N.S. Rangaraju cautioned that without prompt and effective repairs, the heritage Corporation building could suffer a fate similar to that of other iconic structures like Lansdowne Building and Devaraja Market.

In response to these concerns, the Committee recommended immediate repair and maintenance work, stressing the need for skilled labour to undertake preservation efforts in line with the heritage guidelines. This recommendation found favour with the heritage stakeholders, who pledged their support for the initiative.

MCC Commissioner Ashaad-Ur-Rahman Shariff, Commissioner of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage A. Devaraju, Deputy Director Manjula, Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Town Planner Shesha, along with Committee members Vijay Rao, Lokesh and others were present.

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• Wisdom dawns after four deaths
• Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra holds Road Safety Committee meeting

Mysore/Mysuru: After three tragic deaths caused by the negligent construction of unscientific road humps near the main gate of Manasagangothri on Bogadi Main Road by Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) officials, the MCC has finally taken action to address the situation. This move appears to be an attempt to rectify their previous errors and mitigate further harm.

Safety measures are underway, with road humps being constructed according to the standards set by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC). Additionally, they are being painted with white stripes to enhance visibility for road users, particularly vehicle drivers, warning them of the upcoming speed-breakers and prompting them to reduce speed. These measures are being implemented at various areas across the city.

That apart, following yet another tragic incident on the same stretch of Bogadi Road near Chandravana, adjacent to the herbal garden of the University of Mysore (UoM) near Kukkarahalli, where a two-wheeler rider tragically lost his life due to injuries sustained when a branch from a fully grown tree fell on him, the MCC Horticulture Department is collaborating with Forest Department personnel to identify and remove hazardous tree branches extending towards the road, thereby mitigating potential dangers.

MCC Commissioner cracks the whip

Concerned by the escalating number of accidents resulting in loss of life and the ensuing public outrage regarding official negligence, MCC Commissioner Ashaad-Ur-Rahman Shariff convened a meeting of engineers, horticulture and UGD (Underground Drainage) wing officials. He admonished them and issued a stern warning, indicating the possibility of disciplinary action if they persisted in failing to fulfil their duties effectively.

To promote transparency and accountability in the execution of their responsibilities, the Commissioner has instructed officials to submit a detailed report including images and locations of improperly constructed road humps, inadequate safety measures, and any hazards posing risks to road users.

Additionally, officers have been directed to identify dried-up and weak trees as well as branches at risk of uprooting, with a mandate to promptly submit their findings in a report for further action.

After reviewing the report, the MCC Commissioner convened another series of meetings and instructed the officers to remove unscientific road humps and replace them with properly engineered ones. Additionally, he emphasised the importance of painting these road humps with white stripes and erecting cautionary signboards to alert riders, thereby enhancing safety measures as a precautionary step.

Similarly, instructions were issued to axe trees and branches posing danger. Funds have been provided to hire ladders and other equipment on rent, to execute the job. Now, the officers attached to all the nine Zonal Offices of MCC have finally pulled up their socks, busily involved in carrying out the instructions of the Commissioner.

Any complaints? Call 94803-91234 to reach the MCC Commissioner

We have prioritised the safety of our residents alongside the maintenance of our city infrastructure, said MCC Commissioner Ashaad-Ur-Rahman Shariff.

“The tragic incidents involving tree branch falls resulting in the loss of a senior citizen’s life and the death of three vehicle riders due to badly-laid road humps have deeply saddened us. While we cannot restore lost lives, we are committed to preventing such tragedies in the future. We have intensified efforts to address the root causes of these incidents,” he added.

“Unscientific road humps are being swiftly removed and replaced with safer alternatives, complete with white striping for enhanced visibility. Additionally, we are actively identifying and removing hazardous trees and branches to mitigate further risks. Even if any such dangerous spots come to the notice of the public, they can bring it to my notice on my cell number: 94803-91234. I will act on the complaints at the earliest,” he added.

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Mysore/Mysuru: A massive tree obstructed the 13th Cross Road, near the National Institute of Engineering (NIE) Women’s Hostel at Ashokapuram in the city, causing significant traffic disruption for more than one hour this morning.

Fortunately, there were no injuries, loss of life or property damage reported. It was discovered that a few days prior, unidentified individuals had ignited a fire at the base of the tree, weakening its structure and leading to its collapse around 7 am today. Fortunately, the road was devoid of pedestrian or vehicular traffic at that early hour, averting potential tragedy.

When the Forest staff and members of the MCC Abhaya team arrived to clear the fallen tree, a section of onlookers insisted on action against those responsible for igniting the fire, including arrest. However, another group reasoned with them about the urgent need to clear the obstruction to restore normalcy to public movement.

Ultimately, the fallen tree was promptly removed from the road, thanks to the efforts of the Abhaya-1 team, led by D. Manjunath and comprising Shreyas, Ravikumar and others. Their swift action ensured the smooth flow of traffic in the area.

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Now, who should be held accountable for three deaths?

Mysore/Mysuru: The heated public discourse surrounding the perceived negligence of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) authorities in installing unscientific speed-breakers near the Main Gate of Manasagangothri, the PG campus of University of Mysore (UoM) on Bogadi Main Road, resulting in the tragic deaths of 3 individuals recently, continues unabated.

Despite the passage of time, no punitive action has been taken against the responsible officials who flouted established regulations in laying these speed humps.

While a Police complaint has been filed against the MCC Engineer and the contractor responsible for installing the speed-breakers violating standard procedures, the affected public and the bereaved families are demanding further accountability and adequate compensation for their irreplaceable losses. It is worth noting that the speed humps in question have since been removed.

It has now come to light that MCC Commissioner Ashaad-Ur-Rahman Shariff ordered the installation of the road humps based on the request from the University of Mysore VC Prof. N.K. Lokanath. The VC’s letter, a copy of which is accessed by Star of Mysore, was written on Dec. 6, urging the MCC Commissioner to install the speed-breakers for safety reasons.

The letter emphasised the necessity of installing road humps along Bogadi Road, particularly near the entrance gate and other access points of the University, due to the significant volume of traffic and the alarming frequency of accidents in that area. Specifically, the letter highlighted the hazardous nature of the curve in front of the University gate, near the Kuvempu statue, which has been the site of numerous accidents.

The letter underscored the importance of installing road humps to ensure the safety of both students and the general public, preventing motorists from speeding as they approach the curve. Upon receiving a request from Prof. Lokanath, the MCC Commissioner forwarded the letter to the MCC Zonal Office-4 for their consideration and necessary action.

The officials’ eagerness to comply with the Commissioner’s directives led them to hastily install the unscientific speed-breakers overnight, neglecting standard procedures in the process. While the installation of speed humps itself wasn’t the issue, the manner in which they were installed and the tragic loss of lives that ensued, have prompted serious concerns regarding official accountability and integrity.

Regrettably, the excessive zeal of the officials, engineers and the contractor resulted in the loss of three innocent lives.

Members of the public assert that had the speed humps been installed according to established standards, these tragic fatalities could have been prevented.

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Mysore/Mysuru: ‘I Love Mysuru,’ a selfie board in English kept at the parking lot near the North Gate of Mysore Palace, that had turned the eyes of pro-Kannada activists red, was removed by Abhaya, emergency rescue team of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) recently.

The selfie board had been kept only a few days ago and had become a perfect backdrop for the devotees coming to Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple at Palace North Gate, joggers, pigeon feeders and couples of pre-wedding photo shoots, for taking a snap and video. But, the pro-Kannada activists had raised objection for Kannada being ignored with undue prominence given to English in the selfie board. They had even blackened the board, besides writing on the surface with a caution to give due prominence to Kannada.

That apart, the pro-Kannada activists had also blackened the painting of ‘No Parking’ instructions by Mysuru City Police, at the same parking lot, with an appeal to replace the words with Kannada. To avoid controversy from escalating further, Abhaya personnel were deployed to remove the selfie board, which is now kept in the Town Hall premises, opposite Palace.

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On Tuesday, a man died when a tree branch fell on his head. Even his helmet couldn’t save him. But what could have saved him was probably the timely pruning of the tree. 

Every year, people die in our city as tree branches fall due to lack of timely pruning.  Yet citizens are confused about who should prune trees. 

This reminds us of the 2013 monsoon when rains wreaked havoc in the city, with several trees falling. A survey was conducted and it concluded that scientific and timely tree pruning was necessary to stop death and service disruption. Ten years later, we still have the same problem! 

In 2013, M. Mahadev, the then Managing Director of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC), said that non-pruning had cost CESC heavily as it had brought down around 200 electric poles. Mahadev said the onus of surveying and pruning trees falls on the Forest Department.

Strangely, the then Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Mysore, P. Durgegowda, responded by saying that the Forest Department prunes trees only when citizens call and there is no need for any survey or scientific pruning! 

Shockingly, the ACF expects citizens to know which tree is deep-rooted enough to withstand heavy rains.

Also, who’s standing around looking up at trees, wondering which branch will fall and kill us? And what’s the number to call to report if we find such ‘criminal trees’ and their sidekicks the ‘killer branches’?  

The question is, should the CESC prune trees to protect their electric lines, should the Forest Department do it as the trees come under their preview, or should the MCC do it as they are the caretakers of the city? Who is to prune our trees and save lives? 

According to a Forest official, MCC has to cut and prune dangerous trees and branches in its jurisdiction, and the Forest Department maintains trees only inside parks. 

This could be true considering that the MCC paid compensation of Rs. 10,000 to a rider in 2014 whose two-wheeler was damaged in a tree fall at Metagalli. 

So will MCC pay compensation to the family of Reginald Platel, who died on Tuesday, Feb. 6? 

Meanwhile, where is Shaktiman?

 It was also reported day before that the Horticulture Department of the MCC, responsible for pruning old and dangerous branches, is not equipped to prune trees at the moment.

The MCC Assistant Executive Engineer confessed that they didn’t have a vehicle equipped with a ladder to prune trees as the RTO had seized them because they were more than 35 years old and unfit for operations! But why not use Shaktiman?

In 2019, the then MCC Commissioner K.H. Jagadeesha introduced Shaktiman to Mysureans with great fanfare. He had said that Shaktiman is the first such machine procured by any City Corporation in Karnataka, and this will be useful in pruning trees, branches, dry twigs and even leaves.

The MCC Commissioner then went on to say that Shaktiman is so tall that it can even prune the tallest trees over 30 feet easily. 

The MCC also released a press statement extolling  Shaktiman’s traits. It said Shaktiman can swivel 360 degrees and has a smooth operating procedure. It has a long-reach chainsaw cutter. It is a rugged machine and is low maintenance as it does not have clutch, gearbox, etc. 

The way MCC promoted Shaktiman, some wondered if MCC was looking to get Shaktiman married. Was MCC looking for a bride, a ‘Shakti-woman’? Some Mysureans, who are fans of science fiction movies, thought that Shaktiman was a Transformer – a machine that comes alive. They, for a moment, thought we had finally found our ‘Optimus Prime’ of tree pruning and that he would save our heads from murderous branches.  But where is Shaktiman now?

It seems Shaktiman has not disappeared, he is quietly being deployed in certain areas because he is the only one MCC has.

Interestingly, in 2021, it was lying idle and was gathering dust in MCC due to non-maintenance. However, after the public outcry, it was put to use.

May be the MCC must procure more Shaktimans considering the old ladder-laden vehicles have been deemed unfit.

While we wait for trees to be pruned, let’s hope the administration ensures it’s done safely without causing too much inconvenience to the public. 

I say this because unprofessional tree-cutting led to the death of a young woman. In 2011, Prarthana and her family were on their way to Ooty for a holiday. They were stopped near Gundlupet and asked to wait as a huge banyan tree was being cut for road widening.

The unscientific tree-cutting method resulted in the massive tree crashing on Prarthana’s car. She lost her life. She was just 33, and two children were left without a mother.

Maybe MCC should call for tenders with the condition that tree cutting or road works were  open only to contractors who can do work at night or during the wee hours when the public will not be inconvenienced and exposed to possible danger.

People have to wake up and realise that most officials don’t care about public safety unless there are VIPs involved.

When Barack Obama came to India, officials in Delhi made sure all the trees around Gandhi Museum were trimmed and the coconut trees were rid of all their coconuts. 

When the officer in-charge was asked why the coconuts were being plucked en masse, he said, “Why take a chance?” I guess he was worried if a coconut broke off and fell on Obama or even around him, the officer’s coconut would have been broken.  

Why don’t the officials and administration apply the same safety standards to the commoner? Because we citizens don’t demand it.

Most of us don’t take the trouble to call our local Corporator or MCC to fix things. Instead, we wait for some NGO to do that for us. 

If we keep waiting, branches will keep snapping and our heads will keep breaking.

e-mail: vikram@starofmysore.com

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• Senior citizen killed as unpruned tree branch crashes due to official apathy 
• Incident occurs days after three deaths due to unscientific road humps

The PWD wanted to fell this tree while widening the road a few years ago. Star of Mysore was also for cutting the tree for widening the road. But some environmentalists objected to it and the tree was saved. Now a precious life is lost. The road was widened haphazardly around the tree making it a killer. What an irony.—Ed

Mysore/Mysuru: Days after three individuals lost their lives due to the unsafe speed-breakers installed by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) on Bogadi Road near the Manasagangothri entrance gate, another tragedy occurred as an elderly person was killed by a falling Peepal tree branch on Tuesday morning. 

Once again, the negligence of the MCC was evident, as it failed to trim the hollow and termite-infested branches, leading to this unfortunate incident. The location where the tree branch fell on the elderly person is half a kilometre away on Bogadi Road from the site of the road hump accident that killed three persons. 

On Tuesday morning, Reginald Platel (67), a resident of Roopanagar was riding his scooter when the tree branch fell on him on the road that leads from Kukkarahalli Lake towards Bogadi, passing the Crawford Hall. The old Peepal tree stands in front of ‘Chandravana’, the Government Ayurveda Farm, near the Government Press.

A case registered at the Saraswathipuram Police Station says that Reginald Platel was coming from the city side early in the morning when the accident occurred. Inspector Purushotham said a report about the incident has been submitted to Deputy Commissioner for release of compensation. 

The photos of the fallen branch clearly show that it was hollow and infested with termites, dangerously protruding over the road. With windy conditions prevailing in morning, the branch abruptly crashed onto Reginald Platel who sustained head injuries. A section of the branch, measuring over 10 feet, collapsed onto the road, striking Reginald Platel.

The victim’s son told Star of Mysore that the tree did not fall early in the morning but at 9.15 am when his father was heading to Saraswathipuram. 

“We stay in Roopanagar and my dad, wearing a helmet, was heading to a Honda Activa showroom in Saraswathipuram to give his vehicle for service and some repairs. We rushed him to the KVC Hospital at Devaraja Mohalla where he was put on ventilator support. The tree fall dealt a severe blow to his health and there were many complications. We brought him back to our home last evening and he passed away at 7.45 pm,” the victim’s son said.  

Soon after the accident, the MCC got into the act and cleared the road. Without divulging information to the curious public passing on the road and attempting a cover-up, workers hurriedly shifted the fallen tree branches and wood pieces to the side of the road. They even trimmed the other hollow branches with mechanised saws.  

The incident was brought to the attention of Star of Mysore by some friends of Reginald Platel. One of his friends, C.K. Aiyanna, expressed, “Our dear friend Reginald Platel passed away tragically. A huge branch of a roadside tree fell on his head while he was riding his two-wheeler, despite wearing a helmet. Shouldn’t this tragedy be attributed to the negligence of the Mysore City Corporation, who are responsible for trimming the hazardous branches and trees along the roads? Despite hospital treatment, his life could not be saved. Another life has been lost due to the negligence of our City Corporation.”

Another friend recalled that Reginald Platel was a talented cricket player, and the family is devastated by his loss due to  official apathy.

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