JOIN USPreparations are in full swing for the visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to the district, on February 6.
As the President will be inaugurating the General K S Thimayya Memorial and will be visiting Talacauvery, Madikeri, Bhagamandala and Talacauvery are being given a new look.
“Roads on which the President will be travelling are being repaired. The cleaning work has commenced. The shrubs are being removed. Emphasis has been laid on maintaining cleanliness,” said City Municipal Council Commissioner S V Ramdas.
Also, around 250 volunteers from various organisations such as Dharmasthala Stree Shakti Sangha, Chamber of Commerce, Green City Forum, students from St Micheal School and Junior College are involved in the cleanliness drive, said City Development Cell Project Director Raju.
The CESC executive engineer said that old electricity poles are being replaced with new ones and the erratic lines are being repaired, along with replacing old transformers with new ones, apart from other minor works.
The repairs on the electricity line on Bhagamandala-Talacauvery Road was carried out. The roadsides were also cleaned.
Deputy Commissioner Charulata Somal reviewed the preparations made by various departments. She gathered information from various departments such as Health and Family Welfare, PWD, Panchayat Raj, Regional Transport Authority, Public Instructions, Labour, Youth Empowerment and Sports, among others.
She also paid a visit to Bhagamandala and Talacauvery to inspect the works.
Minister to visit
District In-charge Minister V Somanna will visit Kodagu on February 5 and 6.
On February 5, he will chair a meeting of officials on the preparations at Bhagamandala at 11.30 am and will inspect the sites where the President will be visiting.
On February 6 at 11.25 am, he will receive the President at the helipad in Talacauvery.
The minister’s special officer T N Raviprakash said that the minister will take part in various programmes, along with the President.
Greens oppose felling of trees
Nature enthusiasts of Kodagu have condemned the move by the forest department of felling trees on Talacauvery and Bhagamandala Road, ahead of the President’s visit to Talacauvery.
Environmental activist Kadagadalu Ganesh said that trees and branches are being cut on the road.
“The visit by the President is happy news. But, under its pretext, forest department officials have been felling trees unnecessarily. Asphalting is being done only on the road on which the President will travel. The rest of the roads are in a poor condition. There is no logic in the district administration’s plan,” he said.
The forest personnel have destroyed nature by felling several trees on Chettimani-Bhagamandala and Bhagamadala-Talacauvery Road, he added.
The forest department personnel, however, said that only the branches which were leaning on the road were cut.