Mangalore : B Dharmana Naik, president of Milagres and Falnir Wards Residents Welfare Committee said that the ward has formed the committee to create awareness of resident’s rights and build up a community bond.

Speaking at the press meet held at Press Club on March 15, Friday he said that the managing committee has so far met four times and a total of 219 members have enrolled into committee so far.

Speaking on the purpose of forming a committee, Naik said that Citizens of Mangalore and its suburbs have been experiencing problems arising from bad conditions of roads, non clearance and dispersal of garbage on the roads, shortage of drinking water supply, lack of drainage, frequent and non-scheduled power cuts, non-functioning of street lights during night time and functioning of street lights during day time, uneven footpaths by the side of the roads, for quite some time.

 Though property taxes have been increased several folds, the city corporation’s response to these problems was total indifference. Efforts made by some individuals to solve these problems by approaching the officials of the corporation at the highest level produced no results. Even the media had highlighted the problems but to no avail, he said.

In order to chalk out a strategy as to how these problems could be solved, the residents of the Milagres and Falnir Wards met a meeting at St.Mary’s English Primary School, Falnir on 31st October 2012 and after deliberations and advice given by social workers, the citizens decided to form a welfare association and register the same to put up a united front.

The memorandum of association and the rules and regulations of the association were framed and approved at two meetings held on 07th November and 19th November 2012. The association named ‘the Milagres and Falnir wards residents welfare association’ at registered office Kausthuba, Kaprigudda New Road, Attavar as per the societies act, on 31st January 2013.

The Committee has elected David V Pais as Vice president, Abdul Farhad as secretary, Vishwanath Bolar, joint secretary, Lovie Rebello as organising secretary and Walter George D’Sa as treasurer.

The Committee will also hold a formal inaugural function at Milagres Jubilee Hall on March 17, Sunday at 5.30 pm. Deputy Speaker of State Legislative Assembly N Yogesh Bhat will participate as the Chief Guest and Inaugurate the association. J R Lobo, retired commissioner of Mangalore City Corporation, Milagres Ward corporator Abdul Ravoof, Falnir Ward corporator Jacintha Vijaya Alfred and social Activist Dr Rita Noronha, will be the guest of honour.