Single-site approval process to be simplified soon: Baig

Minister for Urban Development Roshan Baig said that a meeting will be convened in Bengaluru to discuss simplifying of the process to get single-site approval for citizens to construct houses.

“The matter of the hefty fee collected for getting the approval will also be sorted out,” he added.

Speaking to mediapersons after holding a review meeting here on Thursday, he said that the process of single-site approval from the authorities was causing a lot of problems in the district where marginal landholdings were common.

In the review meeting earlier, when the corporators raised the issue of shortage of staff in the Corporation, the minister said that the key posts of Deputy Commissioner (Revenue, Administration and Development) and Chief Accounts Officer will be filled at the earliest. The recruitment of staff by the KPSC is on and vacancies filled very soon, assured Baig.

He suggested taking up of the beautification of Mangaluru city. “Parks needs to be developed in new layouts,” said the minister and also directed the MCC Commissioner to purchase a generator for the newly renovated electric fire chamber at the renovated crematorium at Boloor.

Mayor Harinath said that to reach full storage capacity of the new vented dam at Thumbe, 400-acre land needs to be acquired in Panemangalore, Munnur, Naricombu, Bantwal Muda and Kallige villages. The acquisition requires funds from the state government.

‘Hurry up’
MLA J R Lobo urged the minister to direct the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) to hasten the submission of the feasibility report on bus stand at Pumpwell, markets at Surathkal, Kankanady, and Kadri Central markets along with multi-level car parking areas in Mangaluru. “There is delay in implementing the works utilising the funds available under SFC grant and Nagarothana project due to the lengthy procedure. The power of approving works worth Rs 2 crore should be entrusted to the MCC, instead of the state government,” demanded the legislator.

Corporator Sudheer Shetty said that the sanctioned strength of staff in the MCC is 1,725 - however, only 548 staff are functioning. “Key posts are lying vacant, which is affecting the development work. Even after taking up underground drainage (UGD) work in the first phase of the ADB-funded project, sewage water overflows from the open drains. The missing links in main sewer lines needs to be completed at 25 places in the project taken up by KUDCEMP,” added Shetty.

Opposition leader in the Council Roopa D Bangera said that ward committees have not been constituted. A scientific survey need to be carried out at Nanthoor junction to construct either an overbridge or a junction, to check accidents, she added.

Corporator Prathibha Kulai said that the industries in Surathkal do not have their own sources of water and depend on the MCC for supply of water. “Rainwater harvesting should be given special emphasis in the region. The first phase of the UGD work taken up by KUDCEMP under ADB fund was not commissioned properly,” she concurred.
DH News Service