Mangaluru : The opposition BJP in the Mangaluru City Corporation council on Friday objected to the corporation not reserving any funds, under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme, to lay underground sewage network in the city during the current financial year.

The scheme is aimed at providing basic amenities such as water supply, sewage and seepage management, building storm water drainage, transport management and the development of green spaces and parks.

Mangaluru is among the cities selected by the Union government for the scheme. Accordingly, the corporation has prepared a Rs. 160-crore action plan for five years, from 2015-16 to 2019-20, for using funds under the scheme. The Union Urban Development Ministry approved the plan of Rs. 3.25 crore for the current financial year on December 15.

In the action plan, half of Rs. 160 crore will be borne by the Union government and the rest by the State government.

Addressing media here on Friday, Sudhir Shetty Kannur, leader of the Opposition BJP in the council, said replacing the four-decade old sewage network in old Mangaluru area was the need of the hour.

In addition, sewage network had to be provided in extended areas of the city.

With the corporation not reserving any fund for sewage works in the current financial year and reserving only Rs. 50 lakh for sewage project for 2016-17, the city has lost much and lagged behind in providing sewage facility to people. The corporation should have reserved at least Rs. 100 crore for sewage works in the city under AMRUT scheme in the first two financial years.

He alleged that the corporation council led by the Congress has reserved Rs. 34.5 crore for sewage works for 2017-18 and Rs. 54 crore for the same works for 2018-19 under the scheme, keeping the 2018 Assembly elections in mind to impress upon voters in the city.