'Provide mid-day meals to Makkala Mane inmates'

MLA C T Ravi on Monday instructed the officials to provide mid-day meals to the inmates of Makkala Mane, a destitute centre opened by the government in the taluk.

In all, 400 inmates have been provided shelter at 10 Makkala Mane in the taluk, he pointed out.

Ravi was chairing the quarterly Karnataka Development Programmes (KDP) progress review meeting at the taluk panchayat auditorium here.

Following the instruction, an officer tasked with Akshara Dasoha said at the meeting that children in government schools are given milk five days in a week. The cooks are paid an additional salary of Rs 300.

Block education officer Venkataramu said, a total of 13 government schools in the taluk have been closed, while additional teachers have been found in 18 schools. There is a lack of teachers in 14 schools, however, one teacher is appointed for a school of 10-12 student strength.

ZP Social Justice Standing Committee president Ravindra Belawadi alleged that the residents of Lakkammanahalli are not sendingtheir wards to school as the teachers are reporting late for work.

Following the complaint, the block education officer promised to initiate action against such teachers.

ZP Agriculture and Industries Standing Committee president Kavita Lingaraju alleged that land identified for Ashraya scheme at Bidare village in Lakhya hobli has been encroached upon. Approximately 1.20 acres of land was sanctioned for the scheme, she reminded.

Following the allegation, the MLA suggested the officials to identify private land in case of non-availability of government land to build houses under the Ashraya scheme.

The MLA also raised the issue that a farm has been developed by encroaching upon government land at Hirekolale. There is a demand for sites at Kalasapura, he added.

Tahsildar Shivanna said, sites have been identified at 19 villages including Beekanahalli, Bilekallalli, Aladahalli and Kolagame.

Fodder bank

Ramesh from the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services said, the fodder bank opened on APMC premises in Lakhya has been closed for now, as the available stock of 2.5 tonnes of fodder is low in quality. The issue has been brought to the notice of contractors.

At another bank in Lakhya, 565 tonnes of fodder are stocked and the cardholders have been distributed the cattle feed twice as per the rules. A total of 5,610 cards have been issued, he added.

Ravi directed PWD officials to blacklist the contractor and impose penalty, for failing to complete the Tegur road works in the taluk even after three years.

Ravindra Belawadi alleged that a wine store at Shiravase village situated within a distance of 80 metres from the highway remains to be closed, as the excise personnel have failed to initiate any action in this regard. A fair price shop, school, hospital and also bus stop are in the vicinity, he added.

An officer of the Agriculture Department said, paddy and ragi sowing has touched 57% in the taluk, while Rs 15 lakh have been remitted towards crop insurance to 118 farmers.

A forest officer from the Bhadra reserve forest said that the department has received 316 applications towards relief for crop loss due to wild animals.

MLA Ravi instructed the forest personnel to distribute jamunad mango saplings.

The legislator also directed the executive officer of the taluk panchayat to write a letter to both, the deputy commissioner and the chief executive officer of the zilla panchayat, to initiate action against absentee officials at the meeting