A view of Jamshedpur. Picture by Bhola Prasad

The Telegraph had submitted a questionnaire to Tata Steel to elicit an official response to the controversy over the formation of a municipal corporation in Jamshedpur. We carry the excerpts from an official spokesman below. Tata Steel is likely to file an official objection even as the last date for filing objections expires on Wednesday.

lIs a municipal corporation in Jamshedpur legally tenable? Can it have any jurisdiction over the area leased out to Tatas?

As per the legal opinion we have received, the proposal for a municipal corporation in Jamshedpur is legally not tenable for reasons more than one: such as the government desires to include the rural areas also, whereas the village panchayats have a separate legal identity and as such cannot be included in a corporation.

Another reason is that the infrastructure in the town for providing the municipal services belongs to the company and not to the government. In other words, the government does not own any infrastructure to provide municipal services to the town of Jamshedpur.

lMost people believe that Tatas run the government or at least they have very good relations with the state government. So why would the state government do something to antagonise the Tatas?

The house of Tata goes out of the way to set an example of a conscious and responsible corporate citizen. Construction of Mango bridge, beautification of Ranchi railway station, and construction of approach road of Tatanagar railway station are few illustrations of the good gesture of the company.

It has undertaken a number of initiatives for rural upliftment, providing basic education, prevention of diseases like AIDS, which are all aimed at bringing about excellence in public life.

In the recent past, the company has committed to contribute 50 per cent of the expenses for setting up the sports complex so that it becomes possible for the state to hold the prestigious National Games in the state of Jharkhand. Tata Steel has also agreed to contribute Rs 25 crore annually to a public health scheme, which will be for the benefit of the people below poverty line.

We cannot understand the reason behind the proposal of the urban development department of the state government for the MC in Jamshedpur as it does not make legal or practical sense.

lAssuming that a corporation does come up, how will it influence the area administered by the Tatas at present?

Imagine the situation ? infrastructure and all provisions with the company and the responsibility of running the municipal services in the municipal corporation area with the MC.

This would result in the decline in the quality of services. Municipal corporation does not have the requisite infrastructure nor the assured funding that the company provides.

Possibly, even if Tata Steel would want to continue to provide services in the areas in the manner it has been doing, the same may become difficult or even impossible.

lAn argument in favour of the corporation is that it is a democratic right given to the people?

The right to life is a fundamental right. In many judgments the Supreme Court has held that the right to life includes the right to pollution free air, good quality water, reasonably good home etc.

It is a question of what is more important. The fundamental right to life or the democratic right of casting a third vote?

The functioning of elected municipal corporations after exercising the democratic right to third vote, is available in the neighbouring cities. Also, the option of the industrial township is also a constitutional provision.

lIs it possible for the Tatas to allow citizens space and some say in the steel city?s administration?

For Tata Steel, involving citizens in the city?s administration 200 is a way of working. Tata Steel has always run the town with participation of the citizens.

Meetings are held with senior citizens and other forums where people can voice their suggestions and due care is taken to implement whatever is possible.

lIs it possible to make the administration of the steel city more transparent? Like how much is being spent on maintaining the civic amenities and what is being contributed by the citizens?

The people are well aware of what they are paying to Tata Steel in lieu of the services. As per the lease, Tata Steel is authorised to realise ?charges? for the services and does not impose ?taxes? as a corporation is empowered to do. The quality of power, water, general cleanliness around in the town, vis-?-vis the payment, can be compared with any town run by a corporation, where payments in the form of holding tax, water and other taxes is much higher.

The question of being transparent arises only if the expenses in the town are not visible.

The statement that Tata Steel spends huge amount on municipal services, is visible from the condition of the town itself.

lAn option could be for Jusco to take over the outskirts like Mango, Sakchi and Jugsalai etc.

Certainly, there is a symbiotic relationship between Tata Steel area and the outskirts. The construction of Mango bridge, approach road to the railway station, maintenance of bridge on Kharkai river, high mast lights on the bridges, Transportnagar are all illustrations to show how much Tata Steel values the symbiotic relationships with the residents of outskirts.

Within the town, the company has set up the Jubilee Park, zoo, laser fountain (which is of world class technology and the first of its kind in this part of the country) for recreation of not only the citizens of the town, but also of the outskirts.

However, in the outskirts there are local bodies and if they so desire, the condition of those areas can be improved. Tata Steel can contribute in the same way through its 100 per cent subsidiary, Jusco.

But this can happen only if the local bodies of those areas so desire and appropriate arrangement is made to give effect to the agreed arrangement.

lWhy are you so vehemently opposed to the idea of a corporation?

The most important thing in an industrial town is production, which can optimise only if the people who work in the industries are happy. If the people directly and indirectly connected with the industries work optimally, the national and state economy benefits.

Actually, this is exactly the spirit of the 74th Amendment of the Constitution. The amendment was introduced in the Constitution on the recommendation of a committee headed by S.K. Patil, the Union minister for food and civil supplies.

The committee had recommended that the administration of industrial township should vest fully with the industrial authority as in the case with military cantonments, where defence authorities have effective control.

Therefore, it is in the interest of the overall economy and the public that Jamshedpur is declared as an industrial township.