PWD blames govt for slow progress in Mini Vidhana Soudha works

The Public Works Department (PWD) blamed the government for the tardy development in the construction of Mini Vidhana Soudha Complex in Mangalore.

The issue of delay in the construction of Taluk Office or Mini Vidhana Soudha was brought to light by Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) Corporator Mariamma Thomas at a ‘Janaspandana’ meet convened by Mangalore South MLA N Yogish Bhat at the Town Hall here on Saturday. She said that the construction work of the Mini Vidhana Soudha building is going on at a snail’s pace. PWD could not expedite the work in time even though the government had sanctioned Rs 2 crore, she said adding that the contractor could not complete even one floor of the building.

However, PWD Assistant Executive Engineer K S Prabhakara in his reply said that the government has released only Rs 60 lakh so far for the construction of Mini Vidhana Soudha. He said that the second phase of the work could not be executed due to the non-release of funds.

Mariamma also blamed that the Mescom authorities do not respond to citizens’ complaints properly. She said that the phone numbers of the section offices remain engaged most of the time even in emergency.

Mescom Executive Engineer Manjappa said that people can dial the 24x7 toll free number 1917 of Mescom to register their complaints. Citizens’ complaints will be forwarded to concerned section immediately for follow up action, he added.

RKBY scheme scam

DYFI leader Sunil Kumar Bajal blamed that the beneficiaries under the Rashtriya Kutumba Bhadratha Yojna (financial aid for widows) were forced to roam between police station and taluk office for the release of Rs 10,000 under the scheme. He said that 19 beneficiaries under the scheme were cheated by corrupt official in the taluk office. However, beneficiaries should not be harassed again by delaying their payment, he urged adding that alternative arrangements should be made for the release of benefits.

Responding to the issue, Yogish Bhat directed Tahsildar Ravichandra Nayak to make arrangements for the release of amount to the beneficiaries immediately.

Negligence of MCC

Nagarika Hitharakshana Vedike President Hanumantha Kamath alleged that the Town Planning Section officials of MCC failed to act against illegal builders in the city. He said that the officials do not take action against violators even after Deputy Commissioner’s intervention.
 
Further he pointed out that the desilting process during rainy season has not been implemented properly in the corporation. He alleged that the road concretisation work on KSRTC - Kuntikana stretch is being delayed since work was taken up before obtaining necessary clearances from Forest Department and MESCOM. He alleged that the corporation is totally negligent towards people’s problems.

Kamath brought to the notice of the dais that most of the officials of District Administration and MCC were not present in the meeting. He said that show cause notices should be served to those officials concerned who skipped the ‘Janaspandana’ meet. MLA Yogish Bhat said that show cause notice will be issued to all officials concerned who were absent for the meeting.

Dalit leader S P Anand demanded that title deeds should be given to Dalits who were living in government lands for several years. Jagadish Shetty, a resident of Bejai urged the MCC authorities to expedite the proposal of construction of market complex at Bejai.
Coastal Karnataka Development Authority Chairman B Nagaraj Shetty, Mangalore Urban Development Authority Chairman Dr Madhava Bhandary, MCC Mayor M Shanker Bhat, Commissioner B G Ramesh, Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer Kantharaj and Tahsildar Ravichandra Nayak were present.