AGNI Speakers Seek Tax Sops For Flood-Hit

Mumbai: Finance minister P Chidambaram should announce tax concessions for flood-hit residents in Mumbai, particularly those who suffered economically, said speakers at a meeting called by the NGO AGNI on Sunday.

"If the Central finance ministry can grant tax exemptions to builders, it can very well step in and help lakhs of people in Mumbai," said architect Chandrashekhar Prabhu putting forward the demand.

The group discussed various issues surrounding the deluge and after. Vice chairman of AGNI and former municipal commissioner D M Sukthankar underlined the need for one nodal organization or person to be in charge of city issues. The meeting later also passed a resolution that the mayor should be directly elected by the citizens and should be empowered to deal with civic affairs, law and order, and financial issues.

AGNI will soon hold a Citizens' Inquiry into the floods through public hearings.

While some speakers spoke of the need to monitor flood relief and grain distribution in the city, others pointed out that in some slum areas of Bandra reclamation, large quantities of foodgrains were distributed through the good offices of Minster of State for food and civil supplies Baba Siddique even though most of the slums were not waterlogged.

Speakers representing the government and police also sought to explain problems faced by the administration in dealing with the crisis.

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