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BJP accuses Minister Madhwaraj of abetting sand mafia

Last Updated 27 May 2017, 18:30 IST

The district BJP unit has termed the district-In-charge minister as most arrogant and lackadaisical who is involved in sand mafia.

The party has criticised the minister for taking credit for all the works in the district.

District BJP president Mattar Ratnakar Hegde said Minister Pramod Madhwaraj should be held responsible for all the irregularities in the district.

He said sand is being illegally transported and there is no control over unethical works. The shortage of water in the city is due to poor planning and inefficient management as envisioned by the CMC. “Silt has filled the reservoir area and this has led to artificial shortage of water. Improper management has delayed the process of sand extraction resulting in an acute shortage of water,” he said.

Hegde said the district administration, which blindly follows instructions, is also equally responsible for the irregularities.

He said that BJP is the ruling party in all the urban and local bodies but Congress is at the helm of affairs. “The district is virtually under BJP’s rule. Three Taluk Panchayats in the district belong to BJP. Nearly 70-75% of the Gram Panchayats are under BJP rule. Despite this, the district in-charge minister, who is despotic, has violated all disciplinary norms. The minister is known for his nepotism and indiscipline. BJP representatives are ignored and every programme held in the district is conducted only to project Congress,” he charged.

Hegde charged that the minister has always been sidelining Zilla Panchayat president Dinaker Babu because he is a Dalit. He is always ignored and officials are also ignoring him, he claimed.

Govt-funded programmes

The minister also claims credit for most of the programmes which are funded by the Union government. “For instance, water tankers are tagged with banners carrying pictures of the district in-charge minister and it is totally unfair,” Hegde said.

He said water supply should not be politicised. There should be no hidden agenda and personal interest among people’s representatives. Funds have been released for drought in the district under the Natural Calamity Relief Fund, he said.

Hegde said the Union government has allocated Rs 52 crore from CRF fund to Udupi Legislative Assembly constituency. The national highways in the district have been repaired at a cost of Rs 20,092 lakh while Rs 7.75 crore has been released for colleges in the district and Rs 62 crore has been released for Kendriya Vidyalaya.

He said Rs 16.25 crore has been released for the development of Gangolli and Kodikanyana port.

Former MLA Raghupathy Bhat said there is 1.5 lakh load of sand in the silt accumulated at Swarna reservoir. If the sand is removed from the reservoir, water can be stored for another 45 days, he said and lamented that the reckless behaviour of the district administration and the CMC has made the public suffer.

He said BJP is demanding the removal of silt in river basin at reservoirs. The CMC should call invite tenders to take up removal of silt as it has not been carried out, he said.

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(Published 27 May 2017, 18:30 IST)

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