ZP members against water supply to Kaup from Kurkalu

Udupi Zilla Panchayat members, cutting across party lines, opposed water supply from Kurkalu village to Kaup as being planned Kaup Town Municipal Council (TMC), at the general body meeting held on Tuesday.

Member Geethanjali Suvarna alleged that the residents in and around Kurkalu are kept in dark about the drinking water project.

The project to draw water from the river was planned as Kaup faces acute shortage of water during summer. Suvarna, raising the issue in the meeting, said the project is being planned by TMC and its chief executive officer Rayappa.

She said the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB) is in-charge of the execution of the project. Sadly, the residents of Kurkalu have not been informed about the project, she added.

She said the residents also suffer from an acute shortage of water during summer. It is total injustice that the Udayavara river flowing in Kurakalu is being used to provide water for people in Kaup. she felt.

Suvarna also invited officials to visit Kurkalu and interact with the residents on the project.“The people should be convinced that they are also the beneficiaries and No injustice will be done to them,” she said.

Following objections from Suvarna, assistant commissioner Madhukeshawar said that the project, worth Rs 57 crore, will ensure water supply to the villages located en-route the pipeline and Kurkalu will be one of the beneficiaries.

He said that if the project is opposed tooth and nail, people eventually will be the sufferers and the cost of implementing the project will increase due to the delay in the execution of the project.

The members also raised the issue of delay in disbursal of ration cards.

Member Janardhan Thonse said that the ration cards are not issued to the beneficiaries for the past six to seven months. As many as 6,200 applicants have not received the ration cards, he said and urged the Food and Civil Supplies Department to take immediate steps on redressing the problem.

The department deputy director Kusumadhar said the department has received 6,820 new applications. Another 4,771 applications are pending for distribution. “Steps will be be taken to distribute 708 ration cards,” he said.

Kusumadhar attributed the delay in issuing new BPL cards, as the post of assistant director and superintendent are vacant.

Thonse sought eviction of those who have illegally encroached the land earmarked for a crematorium at Havanje.

Member Jyoti Harish demanded clarification over the problems encountered by the labourers in getting their Aadhaar cards done, as they are unable to provide the details over their birth date and year.

The assistant commissioner said that the Aadhaar cards can be procured without the demographic details through civil court.