'State government won't mix development with politics'

Urban development minister S Sureshkumar said that the BJP government is working for the overall development of the state and it would not mix politics with development.

He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for implementation of second phase of underground drainage (UGD) works at the Radio Grounds in K R Nagar on Monday.

Sureshkumar said the implementation of second phase of UGD was taking place for the first time in the state in K R Nagar. The government has allotted Rs 13.7 crore. The government has spent Rs 1,168 crore for providing drinking water and construction of UGD in the state.

Rs 308 crore was spent for providing drinking water in 2009, Rs 388 crore in 2010 and Rs 471 crore in 2011. He also urged people to refrain from using drinking water for washing cars, roads and houses.

Growth aspect

At present, K R Nagar has a population of 38,000 and by 2040 it would reach 75,000. The project has been planned keeping in mind this growth. The town has been split into eight zones.

Work would be undertaken without causing any inconvenience to the public.  K R Nagar would be developed as a model town, he added.

Addressing the gathering, district-in-charge minister S A Ramdas said the government has decided to upgrade K R Nagar from a town municipal council to a city municipal council. A committee has been formed to look into the issue and based on the findings upgradation of councils would take place, he added.

The first phase of UGD construction was taken up in 1998. The BJP government has undertaken the second phase and water from the UGD would be recycled and supplied to farms in the region.

MLA Sa Ra Mahesh said the government had released funds for various projects such as the Mini Vidhana Soudha, women’s college, girls hostel and court.

However, several problems in the taluk are still facing shortage of drinking water. He said the government has been urged to take up relevant work.

MP Chaluvarayaswamy, MLCs S Chikkamadu, Thontadarya, BJP leader D Ravishankar, K L Jagdish, D Kantharaju, K L Kumar, Mymul former president A T Somashekar, Shivakumar, zilla panchayat former member M T Kumar, A C Lingamurthy and others were present.