Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Oct 17: MLA Pramod Madhwaraj on Saturday October 17, his birthday, announced that there would be no load-shedding in Udupi taluk from October 18 and that the taluk would get electricity round-the-clock.

Addressing the media persons, he said that the previous year he had met Ravi Kumar of the energy department and director, KPTCL and appealed for 24-hour supply of electricity to Udupi constituency from his birthday on October 17.

"After following up the matter regularly with them, I received an agreement letter on Saturday from Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom), in which it has agreed to supply 24-hour electricity on all days of the week, except during technical problems, only for Udupi taluk," he said.

"The letter says that Udupi has been sincere in revenue collection and has reported hardly any power theft cases. There is less use of power for pumpsets and no complaints about unauthorised irrigation pumpset connections in the taluk," he said.

He further said, "When UPCL starts its operation, there will be no problem of power shortage. But it takes time in implementation because of some legal (paper) procedures."

Regarding UPCL expansion, he said that it was not up to him. "Whatever be the decision, it should be decided by the district incharge minister. If the expansion plan is dropped, I will welcome the decision."

Madhwaraj further said, “Thirty KSRTC buses under JNURM are ready to go on road, but due to lack of a proper and convenient bus stand, the process is getting delayed. The present city bus stand is flooded with buses. There is a need to schedule a fresh timetable for new buses. Chief minister Siddaramaiah agreed to sanction 41 cents of land during the cabinet meeting to set up a bus stand at Bannanje and we are now waiting for an official government order. The DC and the RTO will work on this soon after receiving the order."

Madhwaraj promised that Udupi will get a good bus stand soon.

A free medical check-up campaign was conducted at the district Congress Bhavan on Saturday as part of his birthday celebration.

CMC president Yuvaraj and town planning authority president Janardhan Thonse were present.