Image make-over for Mangalore is J R Lobo's priority

Mangalore, May 10: Newly elected MLA of Mangalore South constituency, J R Lobo has already set his priority list and the jubilant new entrant to the Assembly says that strengthening law and order system in Mangalore in order to repair the dented image of the city is one of his top priorities.

Addressing his maiden news conference as MLA in Mangalore on Thursday, Mr. Lobo said that incidents of communal disturbances and moral policing have tarnished the image of Mangalore at national and international levels. Ensuring a proper law and order situation will help Mangalore redeem itself, he said.

“The youth have voted against the BJP. When you have incidents of moral policing and communal disturbances, the capital inflow in a region stops and students from different parts of the country start looking elsewhere for education. Drug menace is also something our city has been affected by. Law and order in our city needs to be strengthened. We have enough police force to tackle moral policing and maintain communal harmony. Political will is what is required and our government is committed in this regard”, Mr. Lobo said.

Speaking about his plans for the city, Mr. Lobo said that he will take up completion of pending projects such as the 'Rangamandira', Thumbe vented dam, road completion works, footpath creation, besides setting up restructured market places, bus stands, and development of fisheries ports. A think tank team would be created which would collect suggestions and opinions from various stakeholders including leaders of opposition parties in order to chalk out a proper plan for the city's development, Mr. Lobo said.

Stating that since his constituency encompasses the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC), the former municipal Commissioner said that he will keep an eye on implementation of the promises made by the party in its manifesto during the MCC elections held recently. A committee would be formed to keep track of implementation of election manifesto promises, which would meet every four months and carry out introspection.

On a query on viability of Congress' promise that property and water tax will not be increased by the MCC in the next five years, Mr. Lobo said that if effective collection and utilization of resources is done, the Corporation can easily function without increasing tax at least for the next five years. The to-be formed Congress government will consider amending the sub-clause in the Municipal Corporation Act according to which tax has to be increased every third year, so that this objective is achieved, he said.

The CDP also has several loopholes and needs a relook, Mr. Lobo said, adding that the matter would be brought to the notice of the party and the government.