PDOs will be held responsible for water woes: CEO

Vijayaprakash asked officials to use unutilised funds

Zilla Panchayat CEO Dr K N Vijayaprakash said that if the authorities fail to respond to the complaints on shortage of drinking water and take measure to solve the problem, then PDOs in Gram Panchayats would be held responsible. The officials should ensure that there is no shortage of drinking water in the district.

Speaking at the monthly Karnataka Development Programmes review meeting here on Monday, he said that he has received complaints from the public that none are responding to calls at a few gram panchayats in Mangalore and Belthangady taluks.

To a request for providing title deeds for all the 1,119 Koraga families by the district administration, Additional DC A Dayanand said that a team has been constituted to conduct survey of 306 families to distribute title deeds. As many as 25 files pertaining to Koraga families have been disposed. Once all the files are disposed, a proposal will be sent to the government to distribute title deeds.

On earmarking government land for burial ground and for solid waste management, he said that he had convened a meeting of revenue inspectors and EOs. However, none had turned up at the meeting. Those officials who represented EOs at the meeting did not speak about any complaint related to land for solid waste units. Dayanand promised to look into problems pertaining to social security schemes, RTCs of schools and anganwadi centres.

The CEO said that a sum of Rs 245 lakh is remaining unused under Ashraya scheme. If the fund are returned, then there are possibilities of the government not releasing funds next year. Hence, all the unused funds must be utilised before March 31.

Chief Planning Officer Mohammed Nazeer said under Ashraya scheme, about 87 lakh is remaining unused in Bantwal taluk, Rs 75 lakh in Belthangady taluk, Rs 51 lakh in Puttur taluk, Rs 50 lakh in Mangalore taluk and Rs 69 lakh in Sullia taluk.

‘Kateel’ neglected

Like Kukke Subrahmanya, even Kateel is a place of religious importance. The construction of a public toilet which commenced in Kateel three years ago has not been completed yet, said Standing Committee President Eshwar Kateel.

Though the government had released Rs one crore for the construction of Yathri Nivas in Kateel, the work is yet to be started.

Zilla Panchayat Vice-President Dhanalakshmi Janardhan said that the engineering division should not heed to any pressure from outsiders while widening roads in the district. The width of the road should be 12.5 metre.

Those who have encroached the road, should be evicted, she added.

Vented dams

The official informed the meeting that the government has given administrative approval for the construction of 65 vented dams in the district, of which, 51 vented dams have received technical approval as well. The work on 22 vented dams has already started. Kateel said that five vented dams constructed across river Nandini in Kateel have not been maintained properly by the authorities.

Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary Shivarame Gowda, Project Director Seethamma, Standing Committee President Naveen Kumar Menala and others were present.

Helpline for students

Zilla Panchayat President K T Shailaja Bhat suggested that helpline should be set up to help those students who reach late during second PUC and SSLC examination due to traffic jam. Special coaching is given for the students in government schools to see to it that Dakshina Kannada does not lag behind in SSLC results, said CEO Dr Vijayaprakash.