'Govt yet to release funds for land acquisition'

The government is yet to release funds for the acquisition of land for the new vented dam at Thumbe, to supply drinking water to Mangalore City.

An official of the Karnataka Water Board informed at the KDP meet on Saturday that funds were sanctioned only for the construction of dam across Netravati river at Thumbe while no funds were earmarked for the acquisition of land for the dam.

Answering to the queries of District In-charge Minister J Krishna Palemar, the official said that the survey work to find the total area of submersion during the construction of dam at Thumbe was handed over to Bangalore based agency Stup Consultants in June, 2010. The agency has already completed the survey.

Details including survey numbers, measurement of government land and private land were collected.

 According to the report prepared by the agency, a total of 193 acres of land will be submerged after the completion of the dam.

 About Rs 20 crore is needed to pay compensation to land owners while acquiring land for the dam. However, the amount has not been released, he added.

Palemar directed the officials to submit reports on time. “Take people into confidence before proceeding with the acquisition process and pay adequate compensation,” he added.

Palemar directed the RTO authorities to issue permits to KSRTC to introduce buses on interior routes.

Taking officials into task for not issuing permits to KSRTC even after applications were submitted, Palemar said that people in the rural area are facing problems due to lack of buses. “Convene a special meeting immediately and take steps to introduce buses to rural areas.

Cancel bus permits, if the operators are not plying buses on the permitted route, or else, issue the same permit to new applicant,” Palemar added. RTO Seva Nayak said that new permit cannot be issued to interior routes starting from State Bank in the City.

However, he said, “new permits can be issued on routes starting from any other places in the City.