5 years after CB Pur became a dist, Nandi fest still a non-event

 Five years after the district of Chikkaballapur was formed, the district is yet to witness Nandi Utsav, a district festival promised to its citizens.

Chikballapur District was created out of Kolar District on August 23, 2007. It was carved out of the existing Kolar district by moving the taluks of Gauribidanur, Gudibande, Bagepalli, Chikkaballapur, Sidlaghatta and Chintamani into the new district. The office of the Deputy Commissioner, Chikkaballapur district was also opened on the same day.

Chikkaballapur is the district headquarters of the newly created district. The town is approximately 50 km north of Bangalore. The north-south National Highway-7 passes through the town.

The town has a bus depot, railway station, and is the origin of several national highways.
It is a key transport link in North Bangalore. The town is within 3 km of Muddenahalli, the birthplace of eminent engineer and statesman Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya and its nearby town Kanivenarayanapura.

The sites of the upcoming Sri Sathya Sai Baba University and College of Medicine, IIT Muddenhalli, Rs 600 crore Visvesvaraya Institute of Advanced Technology, 200-acre Special Economic Zone comprising commercial and residential zones, and a Rs 70 crore "Silk City" are located here. As a result of this rapid development, land prices in the area are at an all time high. Nandi Hills is situated nearby and within the jurisdiction of Chikkaballapur taluk. Many historic temples are situated in and near this town. Nandi Hills or Nandi Durga is located in Chikkaballapur taluk and is just 5 km away.

But all is not fair and square. There are several issues to be resolved. Among them is illegal sand mining. Since illegal sand and mining transportation has been banned throughout the district, it has become difficult to utilise the sand for local purposes also.  Mines and Geology Department need to identify ways and means to
address the problem immediately.

Four years after the district came into existence, the State government and the district administration provided the citizens with three new buildings.
The three buildings are –– the Red Cross Blood Bank at the District Hospital, a building for the Regional Transport Office near Chitravathi and a building for the district prisons near Anakanuru village.

Every year on the foundation day of the district there are a few celebrations scattered across the district organised by cultural associations.

But the promise of a major district festival, the Nandi Utsav, is yet to see the light of the day. Every year the festival which has been proposed by the District Administration and the State government has been postponed year after year for some reason or the other.

Last year district in-charge minister Dr Mumtaz Ali Khan had said that the Utsav would be observed in a unique manner and even invited suggestions from public for the success of the event. Even the Committees were constituted for specific tasks. But at the last moment for some unknown reason, the festival never took place.