New MUDA president to lay stress on tourism, green zone

Newly appointed Madikeri Urban Development Authority (MUDA) president Chummi Devaiah said all efforts will be made to take up development works for the promotion of tourism by retaining the green zone. Speaking to reporters after taking charge as the president of the here on Monday, he said, “I have experience in the City Municipal Council as its member for the last 20 years.I have knowledge on the problems faced by the people in Madikeri. All sincere efforts will be made to solve the problems.”

Madikeri is considered as ‘Kashmir of Karnataka.’ Of late, nature is being destroyed in the name of development in the recent past in the district. The tourists will visit Madikeri only if the greenery is conserved. The tourists will not come to see concrete jungle in the district. All efforts will be made to retain the green zone, he added.

Building violation
He said there are complaints on buildings that have contravened building laws as far as underground parking space is concerned. The previous deputy commissioner Anurag Tewari had prepared a list of buildings that had violated the law on parking space. Buildings are constructed without land conversion at several places in MUDA jurisdiction. There is a need to check such violations. Even fields are converted to layouts. If such developments takes place unchecked, then the district will face acute shortage of water, Devaiah warned.

Lake rejuvenation, sites
He said MUDA has a Rs 10-lakh fund for rejuvenation of lakes in city limits and the work desiltation work will be taken up at the earliest. He said the previous MUDA president had taken measures to provide sites for poor by creating new layouts. This will be continued, he said.