The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday took Bengaluru's civic body to task for failing to comply with the court order and compensate victims of pothole accidents. The high court said that it would initiate contempt proceedings against the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and leader of the ruling party in the BBMP for not following its orders, Bangalore Mirror reported. In June this year, the HC had issued directions that advertisements should be published promising compensation to victims of potholes.
Angry at the BBMP, Chief Justice of Karnataka, Abhay Oka said, "Does the Karnataka Municipal corporation act allow for potholes on roads? Does it allow illegal constructions?" The Times of India (TOI) reported.
In an affidavit, BBMP commissioner Anil Kumar had said that there is no provision under the KMC Act to compensate victims of pothole accidents and that advertising about compensation could have huge financial complications, the report said.
Furious at the officials, the High Court wondered why the BBMP was not looking into ways to implement the order.
BBMP's counsel submitted to the court that the Mayor would hold a meeting with the officials concerned in the taxation and finance committees and also the standing committee to discuss the issue, BM reported.
It promised the court that necessary action would be taken to ensure that compensation would reach the victims.
We are not touchy about our orders. You can always challenge and get them set aside. But as long as they are in force, you have to obey them. If this (response) is accepted, tomorrow you would do the same in every matter. So, give us the names of the mayor, the deputy mayor and the leader of the ruling party and others who participated in the discussion by tomorrow 10.30am. We will issue contempt notices to them. They must learn a lesson,” TOI quoted Justice Abhay Oka as saying.