MATF, it seems, has proved to be a thorn in the flesh for the city municipal corporation. Its councillors are particularly peeved at the temerity of some MATF members, notably Mr Lakshmana, to expose serious lapses in water supply management. Typical of the councillors' grouses: 1) they (MATF) interfere in the affairs of the city corporation; 2) they are prompt in coming out with 'revealing' press notes that do not help the image of councillors; and 3) Mr Lakshmana has a penchant for crossing the 'Lakshmanrekha' when it comes to addressing civic issues.
As councillor Shivakumar (BJP) is reported to have put it at a council meeting, "There are 70 corporators, elected to address people's problems. Who has given powers to MATF to intrude into our affairs ? We don't want any lessons from them".
The councillors' current peeve is against the water supply and sanitary working group of MATF, led by Mr Lakshmana. He evidently touched a raw nerve with a run of 'exposures' in recent weeks. First, he came out with a report that animal waste was being dumped into Cauvery. Then he found fault with the working of the water treatment plant, exposing unsuspecting residents to the risk of consuming 'untreated' water. And thirdly, he drew the media attention to an 'official bungle' that resulted in diversion of 2 tmcft from KRS for irrigation, draining the water level down to a point that spells drinking water shortage for Mysore in the coming summer month.
It is doubtful, if we would have come to know of these things, if it was not for the efforts of proactive Lakshmana and MATF.However, corporation commissioner A B Ibrahim, who is also ex-officio secretary of MATF, has a bone to pick with Mr Lakshmana, who apparently had rushed to the press, without checking facts with the city's water supply managers.
The MATF working group would add weight, and a much needed punch, if they spike their press statements, in future, with official reaction, comments and observations. Speaking of official reaction, we now have the city mayor's admission that the water diversion for irrigation from KRS was done in violation of the schedule drawn up by the irrigation consultative committee.
"It is on account of official carelessness," Mayor Dakshinamurthy is quoted as saying ('The Hindu', April 22, 2005). He, however, wouldn't name the officials - 'I don't wish to embarrass them'. He is in favour of a "deccent burial to a sensitive issue". Such is the solidarity between bureacracy and the elected executive in our civic body.
