Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Jun 11: Minister U T Khadar visited various places in Ullal that are facing serious threat from sea erosion, on Tuesday June 10. He was accompanied by Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim and a team of officials.
The places visited by him included Summer Sands, Kaiko, Hilleria Nagar, Mogaveerapatna, Uchila, and Kotepura, among others. He directed the officials to take up temporary relief measures.
Speaking to media persons on the occasion, the minister noted that when boulders are stacked to stop the waves from surging ahead, the waves divert their force and bring pressure on other neighbouring areas. Concurring with the view that temporary measures cannot provide lasting relief to the affected people, he said that permanent measures by way of breakwater construction have been undertaken, and asked the locals to be patient till this work is completed.
The delegation led by the minister then visited Ashraya Colony that has been lying in a dilapidated state at Ombattukere near there. He noted that houses with concrete roofs for poor had been built there for the convenience of poor people, but that some people had approached the court and secured a stay order, citing the existence of a holy tank there and absence of drainage system. He said a proposal to demolish these houses and build a three-storied residential complex in their place with single bed room, hall, kitchen flats, is under active consideration. The minister added that he had already held discussions with housing board officials in this connection.
The minister asked the deputy commissioner to provide seating arrangement around the tank located on Someshwar beach for the convenience of tourists. During the visit of the delegation to the house of Someshwar gram panchayat member, Chandrashekhar at Uchila here, the minister and deputy commissioner felt the fury of surging sea.
Zilla panchayat vice president, Satish Kumpala, BJP block committee president, Chandrashekhar Uchil, Someshwar gram panchayat vice president, Rajesh Uchil, municipal councillor, Meenakshi Damodar, and Ahmed Bava Kottara accompanied the minister during these visits.
Bridge for Harekal
U T Khadar instructed the officials to consider in all seriousness the practicability of constructing a bridge between Adyar and Harekal. He was speaking at a meeting of officials convened at Ullal municipal council office relating to various development works within Mangalore assembly constituency on Tuesday June 10.
The minister opined that pressure on the city traffic will ease if the said bridge becomes a reality, and the bridge, once built, will also help in the construction of a ring road, apart from contributing to the all-round development of areas around the bridge. He wanted the officials to positively examine how this bridge can be made a reality at the earliest.
Commissioner of Mangalore Urban Development Authority (MUDA), Mohammed Nazir, responding to minister's initiative, said that MUDA has already taken a decision to conduct a feasibility study on the construction of this bridge. He said that as per his calculations, the bridge might require an investment of around Rs 40 crore.
The minister asked the officials to visit places where rain-hit areas without waiting for the applicants to approach them. He informed that applications have already been sought from people who have built houses in government land in rural areas, for their regularization. He urged the concerned to make best use of this opportunity.
Khadar instructed the officials to maintain road at Tokkottu Junction in good condition to ensure that traffic problems do not occur there. He asked them to take up the task of filling up pot holes on the highway and other roads without any delay. He asked the regional transport officer to ensure that buses make trips as scheduled to places like Pajeer, Panela, Harekala, Kojapady, Meramajalu etc. He also wanted the official to take steps to make KSRTC buses which ply to Mudipu to move via Mangalore University.
He revealed that foundation stone will be laid on June 21 for the construction of town hall at Ullal at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore.
Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner, A B Ibrahim, speaking on the occasion, advised the officials of Ullal municipality and Mangalore City Corporation to work in tandem to see that drinking water supply to Ullal municipal area is properly maintained. Zilla panchayat member, N S Karim, president of Ullal municipality, Girija Bai, vice president, Razia, and others were present at the meeting.