Health Department staff told to reside at workplace

In the absence of quarters, rented accommodation to be provided for them

He was speaking after reviewing the progress of the various projects at the tri-monthly review meeting of the Karnataka Development Programmes in Chikkaballapur on Saturday. The meeting was organised at the auditorium of the Taluk Panchayat.

The MLA said the staff serving in the Health Department should be provided with all the facilities to reside at their place of work. If there are no Government Quarters, then the staff should be facilitated with rented accommodation. 

There was a dearth of staff in some of the Primary Health Centres in the taluk. This was creating problems for the patients who visited the Primary Health Centres. This problem should be immediately attended at, the MLA instructed the officials of the Health Department.

Bachegowda further said the Health Department staff had also stated that there was a shortage of children’s Madilu Kits. Hence, they were not being distributed among the beneficiaries. The Health officials should take steps in this regard and ensure that there was sufficient stock of the Madilu Kits and they were distributed to the infants on time.
The Taluk Health Officer informed the meeting that the department had written to the Government to address the staff shortage prevailing in some of the Primary Health Centres. The problem will be addressed as early as possible, he added.

Chikungunya reported

He further informed the meeting that recently a Chikungunya case had been reported in Mandikal village. Precautionary measures have been initiated to ensure that the disease did not spread in the village. Also, owing to an increase in the mosquito menace, fogging will be implemented, he added.

Bachegowda said, the salaries of the BEd and DEd College staff, which earlier came under the jurisdiction of the City Municipal Council administration, had not been disbursed since last 16 months. He instructed the CMC commissioner to take steps for the disbursal of the salaries to the College staff, during the period when the Colleges were in the CMC jurisdiction.

He also suggested that the salaries could be disbursed by utilising the grants provided under the Chief Minister’s Urban Development Project.

Since the grants have to be utilised only for the development works, the MLA suggested to write a letter to the Directorate of Municipal Administration to disburse salaries from any other grants.

The CMC commissioner assured to take suitable steps in this regard.

The officials of the Public Works Department informed that meeting that the construction project of the Regional Transport Office being implemented near Chitravathi River was under progress.

The construction on the ground-level was completed and the construction on the first floor was in progress. Within a period of six months’ time, the project will be completed, they informed and added that the swimming pool project, which was also in progress, will soon be completed at Sir M V stadium. 

Drinking water scarcity 

Some of the schools in the taluk were facing drinking water problem. The matter will be discussed with the officials concerned and measures will be initiated to solve the drinking water problem prevailing there, the officials said.

Extension Officer of Backward Classes Department Philomena said the new Boys’ Hostel near Patrenahalli will start functioning soon. The already functioning hostels were facing severe water crisis. Since the schools had reopened, the admissions to the hostels had also begun.

Bachegowda said the CMC commissioner should take steps to solve the water problem in the hostels. Atleast water should be supplied through tankers to these hostels, so that the students did not suffer, he added.

He also took the officials to the task stating that only a few borewells were sunk under the Ganga Kalyana scheme 2008-09 implemented by Dr B R Ambedkar Development Corporation.

The number of borewells set as target under the scheme had not been met. The poor farmers belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who completely depended on such facilities would definitely face problems, he said.

It was a matter of great displeasure to note that in 2009-10, not a single borewell had been sunk. The officials concerned should immediately look into this.

Otherwise, the contractors working under this project will be blacklisted, Bachegowda warned and added, the number of borewells which were supposed to be sunk in 2008-09, should be immediately implemented, he instructed.

Stringent action

Some of the officials were neglecting the KDP meetings. They were callous towards the development works being implemented in the taluk. Stringent action will be initiated against such officials, the MLA warned.

He also instructed the executive officer of the Taluk Panchayat to collect information on the officials of the various departments who had not bothered to attend the KDP meeting and take action against them, he warned.

Taluk Panchayat President Nalina Gowda, Vice-President Gangadharaiah, Executive Officer Dr M Ashwathappa, City Municipal Council Commissioner Umakanth and several taluk-level officials were present at the meeting.