Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB/SP)

Udupi, Sep 12: A special review meeting of the zilla panchayat hee was convened to discuss issues concerning problems relating to development of national highway, at V S Acharya meeting hall, Rajathadri Manipal here on Monday, September 11.

The meeting was specially organized for coordinating with public works department, KSRTC, regional transport office, revenue department and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Zilla panchayat member, Janardhan Thonse, raised the issue of unfinished service roads at Santhekatte, Ambalpady and Karavali bypass road. He posed several questions to NHAI officials about steps taken by the authority to address problems encountered by pedestrians at Ambalpady, Santhekatte and Karavali Junctions, among other things.

Project director of NHAI, Vijayakumar, also participated in the meeting.

Thonse raised many issues regarding incomplete works, but due to the language problem, Vijayakumar was unable to communicate properly with Thonse. Also he said that highway stretch between Kundapur and Suratkal falls under his jurisdiction. He informed that nearly 83 km of highway work out of of 90 km has been completed and that the remaining NH construction work is under process. "If anybody proposes changes or comes up with fresh demand, I will try to draw the attention of authority towards these issues," he clarified.

He said that that the authority has acquired 40 meters land in residential areas, and 45 meters of land in Padubidri as per the proposal given by state government.

Irked by his response which was given in English and protesting against the fact that no officer knowing Kannada was brought with the officer to the meeting, zilla panchayat members walked out in the midst of meeting.

Yogendra representing IRB construction, coming in support of the project director, opted to help by translating what the officer says. But members did not agree to continue the meeting unless the officer was having proper information. Vijayakumar said that all decisions are taken by the government and that none of them were his.

Sheela K Shetty said, 'NHAI is the responsible for lack of basic infrastructure at highways. They have paid very less amount of compensation for land owners by paying only Rs 30000 per cent for land that is worth three lac rupees in the market. She sought to know why NHAI officials attended the meeting if they did not have proper information.
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After the meeting, zilla panchayat president, Dinakar Babu, told the media persons, that the problem of language crops up now and then and it has also been a common phenomenon at Karnataka Development Projects meetings. He said that a translator is badly needed to communicate with the people. He felt that but for the input provided by revenue department officials, the meeting had lost its relevance. He said that the meeting therefore for the day had been called off. He said that the zilla panchayat had served notices to NHAI for their negligence in the past and that the project director is expected to provide all required details about national highway progress.

Babu, a member said, 'we have requested thrice for shifting of land acquisition office to Kundapura, but no action has been taken so far. Right now people have to travel Honnavar to consult revenue department," he stated. He also alleged that everything moves on 'commission' basis.

"Drainage works have also been kept pending at Kundapura. When we asked NHAI about their negligence they answered by saying that it needs to be done by state government, although NHAI is to blame for this lapse," Babu stated.

Zilla panchayat president, Dinakar Babu ,said, 'the cancelled meeting will be conducted next week. Date is yet to be decided. He said that the deputy commissioner should be present at the meeting on behalf of revenue department.

Due to the language problem of NHAI project director, ZP meeting came to an abrupt end within one and half hours of vain discussion.

Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer, Shivanand Pavasi, expressed his helplessness in this regard.