'Heritage owners have to maintain their properties'

Kolkata: Mayor Firhad Hakim on Friday said heritage property owners will have to maintain the structures or pay penalties.

"To preserve heritage properties, we have to be strict and talk with the state government," said Hakim, while briefing reporters after the KMC Budget session. He reiterated that it has been found that heritage property owners do not carry out maintenance as a result of which the depilated buildings collapse and their existence is lost.

To ensure preservation of such properties, KMC will carry out maintenance works. A new plan has been drawn up by the Corporation to repair and preserve these heritage buildings.

KMC is trying to come up with the provision of Preservation of Heritage Fund. The Mayor also added that if need be, the Corporation will also repair the dilapidated buildings and the repairing cost will be borne by the landlords along with property tax.

On the other hand, the landlords who regularly give taxes will be given concessions. But if the tax is not paid, the Corporation can also acquire that heritage building.

Hakim also informed that amphitheatres (open theatre) will be opened for children in parks in the city. Funds would be raised for this work under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

During the KMC Budget session, BJP councillor Meena Devi Purohit alleged that Covid vaccines were not given to people despite being provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In response, Hakim said: "It was under directives of Supreme Court that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent vaccines to us when the top court made it clear that there should be vaccines for all. At the time of supplying vaccines to people, Mr Modi was roaming in different states for election campaigns. He is least bothered about citizens."

Referring to the stranded Indian students in war-hit Ukraine, Hakim pointed out that Modi does only lip service. A few students who have returned are felicitated with flowers by him.

Many students are still stranded there. He should have evacuated them four months ago when Russia hinted at a possibility of war against Ukraine.