Hopcoms in twin cities just on paper

HUBLI: The horticulture departments' plans to set up 30 hopcoms outlets in the twin cities to make good quality fruits and vegetables available to people and at affordable rates, has hit a roadblock.
The state government had sanctioned Rs 80 lakh for 20 outlets in 2009-10 and later in 2011-12 it had proposed to set up 10 more at a cost of Rs 40 lakh.
But leave alone the second installment of 10 outlets, the works on even the first 20 outlets have not progressed as expected even after more than a year of its sanctioning, allegedly due to non-cooperation of the Hubli Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC).
Sources in the horticulture department who do not want to be named told TOI that it is the HDMC's indifference in handing over the sites in spite of repeated requests that has delayed the process of setting-up the outlets.
Initially when the department approached the HDMC officials for a list of vacant sites meant for vegetable and milk parlours in gardens and parks, to choose the suitable ones from them, they did not respond positively. Instead they asked us to find out the vacant sites on our own. Lack of co-operation made our job tedious as we had to run from pillar to posts in multiple offices to identify the sites, the source said.
Because of the cold shoulder extended by the corporation, the horticulture department has been able to identify only six sites in Dharwad city and none in Hubli out of 20 sites it requires. Even the corporation gave its consent to the six sites three months ago.
But horticulture sources said that still they have not been able to take up the construction work as the corporation is still to complete the formalities of handing over the sites.
Manjunath Banakar, horticulture department assistant director and who holds additional charge as Hopcoms managing director, said that the estimate is ready and they will start the construction work within a week if the corporation hands over the sites identified by them.
HDMC commissioner K V Trilokchandra said they have identified vacant sites in gardens and parks and will shortly hand it over to the horticulture department. When asked about the delay, he said nobody from horticulture department has appraoched him so far.