Chief Minister’s Legal Advisor and Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna has urged forest department officials to work in a people-friendly manner at the grassroots level and take the initiative to solve forest-related issues. Speaking at a meeting with forest officials and local residents at Chembu Gram Panchayat Hall, Ponnanna emphasized that many issues in the Sampaje, Chembu, and Peraje areas could be resolved on the spot if officials actively engaged with locals. “The forest department must listen to people’s grievances and resolve them immediately, ensuring no inconvenience to the public,” he said.
The MLA also highlighted the state government’s welfare schemes-including Shakti, Grihajyoti, Grihabhagya, Yuvanidhi, and Annabhagya-and stressed that these programs are designed to improve the lives of the poor. He reassured residents that a serious effort is underway to address wild elephant-human conflict, while also instructing officials to connect the remaining Dabbadka households to electricity.
Ponnanna noted that Karnataka leads the country in GST collection and GDP growth and promised continued support for Kodagu’s development.
Attendees: Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee District President Dharmaja Uthappa, prominent local leader Sanket Poovaiah, Deputy Forest Conservation Officer Abhishek, and others.
Later, MLA Ponnanna inaugurated a Rs 5 lakh concrete road in Duggala near Chadavu in Sampaje Gram Panchayat and dedicated another concrete road in Bantodi to the public.
