Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Feb 15: The development works at Mangaladevi ward here were inaugurated for the second time in less than a week. District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundurao inaugurated the new phase of development, which includes a state-of-the-art primary health centre, a veterinary clinic, a residential complex for municipal staff worth Rs 5.85 crore, along with the overall development of the Surathkal Katla Cross junction.
Speaking at the inauguration, Gundurao said, “I have inaugurated the development works at Mangaladevi ward. If we need to provide good facilities, we need good infrastructure, which also builds the confidence of the workers. We have every scope to introduce new services as Father Mullers has also joined hands.”
He criticised the earlier inauguration event, stating, “It is not right to inaugurate by breaching protocol with urgency. This is a government project, funded with government land and money. It is cheap politics, and I strongly condemn it. We will take action against the concerned officials for conducting a programme without following the protocol. None of the leaders, including me, were invited for the initial inauguration. I visit the district regularly, yet they didn’t need us.”
Gundurao also urged the Deputy Commissioner and MCC Commissioner to avoid such incidents, pointing out that the initial inauguration plaque only listed BJP leaders' names, excluding others. “Now, the new development works need to be utilised. The Siddaramaiah government is a pro-people government that focuses on development, peace, and harmony,” he added.
The new primary health care centre will offer a variety of services, including allopathy, homeopathy, physiotherapy, and dental treatment.
Notably, BJP leaders were absent from the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by several Congress leaders, including MLC Ivan D Souza, Manjunath Bhandary, District Congress president Harish Kumar, Congress leader Mamatha Gatty, Anil Kumar, AC Vinayaraj, Shashidhar Hegde, former legislator J R Lobo, Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan, and MCC Commissioner Ravichandra Nayak.
The first inauguration of the development works, worth Rs 7.85 crore, took place on February 9 and was attended by Mayor Manoj Kumar, MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, MLA Vedavyas Kamath, and former mayor Premanand Shetty.
On February 13, district in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundurao had instructed chief secretaries to take action against officials who violated protocol during the first inauguration.
In response to the criticism, Mayor Manoj Kumar denied any breach of protocol during the earlier event.