Mysore aims at being 'health city'

He made the announcement during his address at the 62nd Republic Day celebrations organised by the District Administration at Chamundi Vihar Stadium, here on Wednesday. Earlier, he unfurled the National Flag.

Ramdas said that the first step towards turning the city healthy would be to make it ‘plastic free’.

Observing that steps will taken to ensure that the City of Palaces becomes ‘Slum Free’, Ramdas said that 16,000 houses are being constructed in the district to clear the slums.
While roadside eateries will be controlled for cleanliness, schemes will undertaken to avoid pollution of lakes and tanks. He also hoped to ensure that every house has a toilet and make the city epidemic free.

Observing that steps are already underway to clear the slums, he said that during a survey conducted in 2009-10, 42,549 families were identified to be residing slums. He said that 5,216 houses were built in 2008-09 under the Rural Housing Programme.

Furthermore, under the Rural Ambedkar Housing Scheme 705 houses were built and 3,140 houses were built under the Indira Awaas Scheme in 2009-10. Ramdas said that it is inhuman for people to sleep on the roadsides.

He said that schemes will be prepared so that the shelterless are provided medical facilities. We will strive to rehabilitate every person who is without shelter, he added.

Improve literacy

Emphasising on the need for improving literacy among women, he said that the literacy of men stands at 71.03 per cent and women is at a sloppy 55.08 per cent. Keeping this in mind he said that plans are afoot to have complete literacy among women in the district by 2013.

Mentioning that the city ranks 14th in the Human Development Index, Ramdas said that it is necessary to take it to second place. He said that while the development in the district is progressing at 7.9 per cent, it should reach at least 9 per cent, he added.

Appreciating the measures taken by the District Administration to put-up the CItizen’s Charter at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, he said that it would help all departments in the city finish their work in a stipulated timeframe. He said that all the charters will be put-up in all government offices.

E-Attendance

He said that all revenue department offices in the district have been installed with biometric devices as part of E-Attendance project.

 All departments in the district will follow suit and it will completely implemented by the end of march. A public helpline has also been opened in the DC’s office, he added.

Ramdas recalls ‘Lal Chowk’ days

Commenting on the Lal Chowk issue where the ‘Tiranga Yatra’ was planned to be held, Ramdas said, “It is sad that we were not allowed to hoist our own flag in Kashmir.” Reminiscing about the time when he had participated in unfurling the national flag at Lal Chowk in 1992, he said, “Do desh, do nishan, nahi chalega, nahi chalega.”

With the tremendous growth that the city is witnessing, Ramdas said that 47 villages will become a part of ‘Greater Mysore Mahanagara Palike’, that is in the offing. He said that importance will be given to improve tourism and formation of an independent Dasara Authority.