Mangaluru : Mayor Harinath has assured that the City Municipal Corporation would procure sand soon, to restart the development works.

At the MCC general meeting on Thursday, Opposition leader Roopa Bangera said that many development works had come to a halt due to sand shortage. Harinath said that the sand collected from the allocated site on Wednesday was found unfit for the works. Sand will be collected from a different site soon, he said, adding that the work will restart in three to four days.

Bangera also insisted that the draft agreement by Mangalore Urban Development Authority (MUDA), towards reconstruction of Urwa Market, should not be approved as MUDA has flouted the rules in the construction of the protection wall at the musical fountain being developed at Kadri. “MUDA has left only five-foot gap between the wall and the road – as per the rules, nine metres should be left. The MUDA should be subjected to serious action,” she said. The Mayor promised to seek a report on the issue.

Former Mayor Mahabala Marla said that a difference of Rs 19,20,508 was found in the amount collected through property tax and transferred by Mangalore One to MCC account at ING Vysya Bank. “The transactions with Mangalore One should be discontinued,” he demanded, and suggested handing over totally, the collection of water, electricity and other bills to the branches of any nationalised bank.

Harinath said that the transactions of MCC with Mangalore One will be stopped after three months.

The Opposition sought third-party inspection into the poor quality of concrete roads and alleged a misuse in the chief minister’s Rs 100-crore special grants.

Bangera urged that the stalls in the new Bejai market complex should be allocated only through e-auctioning, as per the circular issued by the Secretary of Urban Development Department, which says that commercial building should be e-auctioned. “But, normal auctioning is done in the market, as against the rule,” she said.

Opposition leaders strongly opposed the proposal by legislator J R Lobo to narrow down the road from Mahavira Circle to Padil junction, from 45 metre to 30 metre.

The sanctioning, however, was postponed. Corporator Pravinchandra Alva said that the proposal was submitted as many houses will be affected by the acquisition. His statement was ridiculed by the opposition leaders.

One-minute silence was observed to pay homage to freedom fighter and former MLC Octavia Albuquerque, who passed away recently.

Residents of Car Street staged a protest outside the MCC office, opposing the delay of the Balaji Talkies – Mannagudda road development work.