CM Annouces Establishment of Agricultural College at Brahmavar
Report and Pics by Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD)
Udupi, Aug 13: Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa who was on a visit to the district on Friday August 13 announced the establishment of an agricultural college in the premises of Agricultural Research Centre, Brahmavar.
Speaking at a programme on coastal greenery held at SMS community hall, Brahmavar here, Yeddyurappa informed that the college will be set up for the benefit of students from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts. The college will be built at a cost of Rs 10 crore, of which a sum of Rs 5 crore will be released by the end of this month, he added.
Moreover, a meeting will be convened in the state capital by the end of this month, in order to chalk out plans to lay extra emphasis on plantation and agriculture, he said.
Referring to the issue of declaring Brahmavar a taluk, he said that a decision on the matter will be taken in 2012, following the national census in 2011.
He also revealed plans to undertake a conservation project of unique variety of fish that thrive at the foothill of Western Ghats. The project which will be launched at Shishila in Beltangady taluk and Hebri in Karkala. Kalkunda in Subramanya and Renjala in Karkala have been identified for development under Devarakadu development project, added Yeddyurappa.
The recent floods in Leh in Jammu Kashmir was an indication of the adverse effects of global warming, which is a threat to mankind and living creatures on earth, he opined.
MLA Raghupati Bhat presided over the programme. State home and district-in-charge minister Dr V S Acharya was the chief guest.
The chief minister took a tour of the neighbourhood of Sastan and Kodi here to review the coastal greenery cover project that is in progress under the supervision of Western Ghats task force and the forest department. He gave the green signal for community planting of saplings and turtle sanctuary, released brochure on coastal greenery project, laid foundation stone for village forestry committee auditorium and housing colony of forest department, distributed title deeds of properties belonging to forest dwellers and also handed over financial assistance related to Devarakadu project on the occasion.
Western Ghats task force chairman Anantayya Hegde Asisara, Udupi – Chikmagalur MP Sadanand Gowda, Third Finance Commission task force chairman A G Kodgi, Coastal Development Authority chairman Nagaraj Shetty, MLCs Captain Ganesh Karnic and Kota Srinivas Poojary, Kaup MLA Lalaji R Mendon, zilla panchayat president Gladys D’Almeida, Brahmavar S M S College principal Davis Crasta, chief forest conservator Dr K Sundar Naik, DK deputy commissioner Ponnuraj and Udupi deputy commissioner Hemalata were present.
Double Honorarium for Heads of Civic Bodies
Yeddyurappa also attended the valedictory of the state-level convention of heads of civic bodies on the same day.
Addressing the gathering, he said that the honorarium of the heads of civic bodies will be doubled come September. Steps were already taken in this regard, he added.
The heads of civic bodies who will recieve double honorarium include pattana panchayat presidents, vice-presidents and members; presidents, vice presidents and councilors of town municipality; city municipal council presidents, vice-presidents and councillors; mayors, deputy mayors and corporators.
The chief minister also announced cash awards of Rs 50 lac and Rs 25 lac to the best civic body at the state and divisional levels, respectively. The selection for the same will be done online using a software called 'Tulana.'