JOIN USCM's visit to district today raises hopes again
Development work has been moving at a snail’s pace. In the backdrop of such condition, the citizens believe it is necessary Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda pays attention to the working of the local administrative bodies and ensures better performance.
No permanent irrigation
Kolar lacks a proper source of water. The farmers therefore are dependent on rain, which has proven capricious.
There has been demand even before partition of the district for permanent irrigation facilities. Although several projects were proposed, none of them has seen the light of the day, adding to the woes of the farmers.
In the midst of uncertainty
A mega project to provide drinking water facility to 45 villages in three taluks and also Kolar, Bangarpet and Malur towns was proposed and designed five years back.
Implementation of the Yaragol project, however, is still waiting. Work on the pipeline is still on.
In addition, formalities to transfer the land belonging to the Revenue Department, instead of the forest land near Yaragol, for construction of the dam, have not been completed.
Encroachment of tanks and canals
While on the one hand citizens in the district are struggling due to shortage of rainfall, on the other hand, continued encroachment of tanks and the Main Canal has created more problems.
Although the district has been getting the usual amount of rain, there is no water in the tanks, as the Main Canal, which is the rain water channel, is encroached upon. People are also found encroaching dried up tanks and undertaking agricultural activities.
The authorities, however, continue to turn a blind eye to the problem. The Kolaramma tank, which is barely a stone’s throw away from the Deputy Commissioner’s office, too is encroached upon, for example, but has not attracted the attention of the officers.
No water to drink
Lack of drinking water is a major problem in the district. Tankers supplying water from villages has become a common sight today. Last year, when the district faced drought, tankers supplied water to villages too.
The condition, however, is only aggravating with time.
The topic is discussed in virtually every meeting of the panchayats at different levels. What is missing is efforts to improve the condition. It is of utmost importance that steps be taken to ensure rain water flows down into the tanks that are the life-source of the people in the district.
Lack of power supply
The farmers in the district are willing to work hard, but shortage of power is a major hurdle in reaching the end.
The farmers have a strong complaint against the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) that it ensures the industries in Malur get continuous power, but changes gears when it is the matter of the farmers in Kolar.
The problem of shortage of power has only worsened in recent days.
Starting industries
Kolar district is the largest producer of milk, mango and tomato in Karnataka, but lacks related industries to handle the produce properly.
Srinivaspur is the largest mango-producing taluk in the entire State. Proposals to start a mango processing centre in the taluk as well as tomato processing units in Kolar have not gone anywhere beyond mere ideas.
In addition, the district requires industrial units to manage the silk produce and to prepare milk powder. This would not only provide employment opportunities to hundreds of people in the district, but also improve the economic status of Kolar district.
Starting of the units was mentioned in the budget session last year, but the places have not been decided.
Rejuvenation of gold mines
Closure of the gold mines in Kolar Gold Fields put thousands of workers in trouble. Also, the region, which is backward in economic, educational and social matters, only faced further problems.
Elected representatives of the region have been repeatedly promising to rejuvenate the gold mines, but not taking any steps to actually do so.
Roads without asphalt
The local administrative bodies all over the district have been funding repair of roads. Yet, several important roads in district are in extremely poor condition.
Many roads have not been asphalted since several years, while connecting roads in most layouts have never been asphalted.
There are also several complaints that the Chief Minister’s Local Urban Development Funds have not been utilised appropriately.
Employment Guarantee
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme came as a ray of hope to agricultural labourers.
The tide of corruption that rampant with relation to the Scheme last financial year (2009-10) saw suspension of 13 gram panchayat secretaries.
Officers of all panchayats had promised to disburse funds in 2010 for the excessive work in 2009. The promise, however, has not been kept.
There have, however, been complaints that contractors and officers too have been misusing funds in the name of workers.
Living in Bangalore
Most officers have no residential facilities in the district office. This has been pointed as a major reason behind the poor implementation of projects in the district.
Officers have developed the habit of regularly travelling from and to Bangalore, K R Puram and Hoskote. They are hardly seen in the offices before the first day and after the last day of the week.