If you deny free passes to elected representatives to watch IPL and other matches, you will have to pay the price for it, as the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has discovered. Had they issued free VIP passes to corporators, MLAs and MLCs, the violations by the KSCA would have been pushed under the carpet. But now, the BBMP and PWD have upped the ante to punish the KSCA.
The BBMP’s revenge, as it were, takes the form of levying tax on all kind of advertising displayed at the stadium where the matches will be played. The BBMP is also suddenly very concerned about where the garbage will be disposed. A close watch is being kept on the movements of KSCA’s garbage truck to check where the garbage is being dumped. If the garbage is dumped on the roads or at the city’s outskirts there will be a heavy penalty.
Finally, the BBMP, which has been considerate in this regard till now, has planned to levy property tax on the entire cricket stadium and the tax will be levied at commercial rates, said the Deputy Mayor S. Harish. “All the violations by the KSCA will be recorded in the BBMP council in the coming monthly meeting. KSCA president Anil Kumble had earlier promised 450 passes at the rate of two passes for each corporator and 50 extra passes. The idea of giving two passes to each corporator was to enable spouses to accompany them,” he said, making no secret of the revenge motive and oblivious to the fact that it was unethical to demand such freebies. Now, the BBMP has returned all the passes sent by the KSCA, he added.
The PWD said the KSCA had been paying a paltry sum to the government towards lease fees. The PWD has been pointing at the violations by the KSCA like sub leasing the cricket stadium and paying lesser lease amount. Moral of the story, if you are trying to dodge the law, don’t antagonise the powers-that-be.