Bengaluru polls: Congress promises waste-to-energy plants at local level

The Congress has also promised to bring in an urban experts panel to assist the city council in decision making.

The ruling Congress party in Karnataka which is looking at gaining control of the Bengaluru city council in elections to be held on August 22 has in its election manifesto promised introduction of compulsory waste segregation at homes and setting up of bio-methane units in each ward in the city to promote waste-to-energy initiatives. The Congress has also promised to bring in an urban experts panel to assist the city council in decision making.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who was present at the release of the manifesto expressed confidence that his part would win at least 100 of the 198 ward constituencies in Bengaluru. “We have uprooted the garbage mafia, resolved traffic issues and controlled crime that thrived during the regime of previous governments. The administration is more transparent now. We are on the path of taking the city to its glory days again. People have already recognised this and we are sure they will vote us to power,” Siddaramaiah said at the manifesto release.

The Congress has among other things promised timely completion of the Mekedatu project to ensure water supply across the city. KPCC President Dr. G Parameswara said the government would reserve 25 percent of land for housing the economically and socially backward sections of society. “Within five-years the government will create a slum-free city by ensuring houses with all basic amenities to 1 lakh needy people,” the KPCC leader said.

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Responding to criticism by the opposition over the party extending party tickets to individuals with criminal backgrounds, Siddaramaiah said that unless a person is convicted by a court he is not a criminal. “There are complaints against JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy and about 15 FIRs against BJP leader Minister BS Yeddyurappa. Do they not continue to be legislators. Mere allegations does not turn them into a criminal,” Siddaramiah said.

One of the curious promises in the manifesto is one for the construction of a “viewing-tower” at the Freedom park to provide views of the land scape of the entire city. The manifesto was released in multiple local languages – Kannada, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu and English.

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