Come next year, Bangalore libraries won’t have newspapers

Next year, newspapers and journals will not be stacked on the racks of public libraries. Why? The library department has failed to pay the outstanding bills — nearly Rs15 lakh to Rs16 lakh — to vendors from the past few years.

A library department official said vendors have decided to discontinue delivery from January 1, 2011, until the outstanding amount is paid.

Officials blame the BBMP for not remitting crores of rupees, which has been pending for several years. The BBMP collects 15 per cent as education cess, 10 per cent as health cess, 6 per cent as library cess and 3 per cent beggary cess from the public through property tax.

“But the BBMP has failed to provide the amount, which has been collected as library cess to the department for its development. Due to this, the library department has not been able to clear its bills. The vendors have complained several times to the department to pay the bills or they will stop the delivery of journals and newspapers,” said an official.

In five city zones, there are 180 public libraries. The BBMP owes Rs70 crore to public libraries for 2009-10 and 2010–11. BBMP commissioner Siddaiah said: “It is true the BBMP has to pay the amount to the public library department. If the BBMP had paid the amount from time to time, this situation would have not arisen. Recently, we released Rs10 crore to the central relief committee as this amount was pending. As the BBMP is in a difficult financial situation, we will definitely clear the pending amount in instalments.”

Public library department director SB Hondadakeri expressed his dissatisfaction over the delay in paying library cess to the department.

“Nearly Rs70 crore is pending from the BBMP. Every year, the BBMP fails to pay the amount. But now, the BBMP has agreed to give Rs10 crore in the next few days and the remaining amount will be paid later,” he said.