Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JD)
Mangaluru, Aug 4: Haj and urban development minister Roshan Baig has instructed the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) officlas to start divisional offices of MCC at Kadri, Suratkal and Lalbagh for the convenience of the public.
He was addressing a progress review meeting of MCC in the Netravati auditorium here after listening to grievances from MLAs J R Lobo, Mohiuddin Bava and corporators. During his visit to the city, he also laid the foundation for a housing project for retired civil workers from economically backward families at Mahakalipadpu later in the evening. Prior to that, he paid a surprise visit to Thumbay vented dam.
Addressing the meeting, Baig said, "People are finding it difficult to get their work done in the MCC office due to the delay in starting divisional offices, and even the officers appointed are deputed to other departments."
The minister also said that action will be taken to fill the vacant posts in the MCC limits. "It has come to my notice that major posts like the post of assistant commissioner has been lying vacant from many years and out of the 1,725 posts, only 548 are filled. The appointment to these posts will be done through KPSC. As the recruitment process through KPSC is in the final stage the vacant posts will be filled soon," he said.
"Various issues of the city including underground drainage, footpath, parking for local MLAs and people's representatives have been brought to my notice. These issues will be studied and resolved after categorizing them as short term and long term issues," he added.
MLA Mangaluru South constituency J R Lobo urged the minister to solve the single site problem while MLA of Mangaluru North constituency Mohiuddin Bava urged the minister to provide more funds to develop the outskirts of the city.
Mayor of MCC Harinath brought issues of land aquisition for backwaters of the new vented dam in Thumbay to the notice of the minister.
Solving drinking water issues of the city
The minister advised the MCC that if sea water is purified like the way it is done in Chennai, it can solve the drinking water issues of the city. "Water is distributed at the regular price to the people in Chennai. I will take all MCC memebrs along with me to Chennai water purification plants if the members are interested," he said.
Baig promises to ease rules on single site
Roshan Baig also promised to convene a meeting of officials concerned at Bengaluru soon towards easing norms relating to single sites, which are creating problems for people owning smaller house sites in Dakshina Kannada district.
Addressing a press meet here on Thursday August 4, he said, "I have been informed by the MLAs and city corporators about the fact that exorbitant fee is being levied for sanctioning single sites. We will address this issue too."
Baig said that development works worth Rs 280 crore in total will be undertaken within this city corporation limits as per feasibility report prepared under Karnataka Integrated Water Management Investment Programme being executed with Asian Development Bank support. He gave the split figures as Rs 120 crore for underground drainage and Rs 160 crore for drinking water. The minister also said that he had discussed the matter of re-laying of underground drainage system within the old city corporation limits under Amrut scheme with union minister, Venkaiah Naidu, and that the latter has promised to support the same.
'The people's representatives from here have sought construction of multi-level car parking facility at the old bus stand site at Hampankatta. We will implement this scheme shortly. Work on construction of five markets at different localities here will also be undertaken soon, and in case of multi-storied market construction at Suratkal, works worth Rs 60 crore would be executed in the first phase. For this purpose, a 3.5 acres plot has been identified there, he added.
The minister said that a multi-storied building will be constructed at a cost of Rs 70 crore at Shaktinagara here for providing residences to poor people, and work on a model 'Gruhabhagya' scheme multi-storied building at Jappu Mahakalipadpu meant for civic workers will begin at the earliest. Tender for this project has already been floated, he explained.
On the question of dropping of names of seven retired civic workers presently living at Mahakalipadpu from the proposed scheme, Baig said that the scheme does not provide for extending the facilities to retired employees. Alternatively, they can be considered under housing under 'Ashraya' scheme, he stated.
About the new vented dam at Thumbay, Baig said that civil works of the dam have been completed and 30 gates have also been fixed. However, electrical and some other works are pending, which will be taken up and completed immediately after the end of the rainy season, he stated.
Surprise visit to Thumbay vented dam
Mounesh Vishwakarma
Pics: Kishore Peraje
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)
Bantwal, Aug 4: Minister Roshan Baig, accompanied by officials, on Thursday, August 4 paid a surprise visit to Thumbay vented dam site without informing the local people's representatives and inspected the dam work.
Neither the district administration, corporation or the minister clarified if Sajipa Munnur, the nearby houses, maths and agricultural land would be submerged because of the dam. The affected farmers have not been paid just compensation or their other demands fulfilled. The farmers lament that no discussions were held on the subjects other than one or two gram meetings, taluk panchayat meetings and zilla panchayat meetings.
Minister Baig while inspecting the work obtained information from MLA J R Lobo, mayor Harinath and corporation officials. The officials brought to the notice of the minister the demands of the farmers' protest committee regarding compensation for the agricultural land that is likely to be submerged due to the dam and provision of walkway from over the dam. They expressed their concern over not having completed the dam work within the stipulated time frame.
The farmers are fear losing their land but the survey of the land that is likely to be affected is still not completed. Therefore there is confusion among the officials and the farmers in this regard.
If the arrival of the minister had been made known in advance to the affected farmers' protest committee, the leaders could have met the minister personally and aired their grievances, the committee members felt. However, not even the zilla panchayat, the taluk panchayat or the gram panchayat officials knew about it.
Minister Baig replying to questions of reporters said that the survey work of the land has started. "The farmers will be compensated when the work gets over. However, it is impossible to construct a pathway on the dam. It should have been shown in the original construction plan. Now that the project has reached the finishing stage, pathway is not possible," he said.
Corporators Lancelot Pinto, Shashidhar Hegde, Kavita Sanil, MCC commissioner Mohammed Nazeer, senior officer Madhe Gowda and others were present.