Monsoon Likely to Begin in First Week of June
Complete Road and Infrastructure Works at the Earliest: N.S. Bhosaraju
Kodagu District In-charge Minister N.S. Bhosaraju directed officials to expedite all pending road and infrastructure works in the district before the onset of the monsoon, which is expected to commence in the first week of June.
He was speaking while presiding over the District-Level Quarterly Progress Review Meeting of Karnataka Development Programmes, including the 20-Point Programme, held at the Zilla Panchayat Hall in Madikeri on Tuesday.
The Minister instructed officials to undertake all necessary road maintenance works, including the filling of potholes on roads falling under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department and Panchayat Raj institutions across Kodagu district.
Speaking during the meeting, MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda stressed the need for speedy completion of road works in the Madikeri Assembly constituency and emphasized that all works should maintain proper quality standards.
He urged officials to expedite the construction of the Aiguru bridge and repair the Galibidu road. He also called for proper maintenance of roads in Mutlu, Hammiyala, Devastur, Hanchinadu and surrounding areas.
Minister Bhosaraju said the public should not face hardships during the rainy season and directed the Deputy Commissioner to submit a detailed preparedness report in this regard.
The Minister noted that the government had sanctioned hundreds of crores of rupees for road maintenance across the state. However, he expressed displeasure that engineers were failing to complete works on time, thereby bringing disrepute to the government. He remarked that despite sufficient allocation of funds for development, delays in utilization were unacceptable.
Sports Authority Vice-President C.S. Arun Machaiah stated that several roads, including the Karike road, remain incomplete and urged immediate action to complete the works.
District President of the Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee, Teethira Dharmaja Uthappa, highlighted the poor condition of roads in Bittangala, Thitimathi, Balugod and other areas and demanded urgent repairs.
Committee member Abdul Rehman pointed out that children using the Napoklu sports ground would face difficulties during the monsoon season and requested suitable arrangements to facilitate movement in the area.
During discussions regarding Public Works Department buildings, legislators urged officials to complete the Regional Science Centre by January. They also sought early completion of pending works at the Madikeri and Kushalnagar Kala Bhavans and reviewed the progress of the Kushalnagar court building.
Dharmaja Uthappa also pointed out the poor maintenance of rooms at the Public Works Department Tourist Centre and suggested proper upkeep and cleanliness. Reviewing matters related to CESC, Minister Bhosaraju stated that the government had released Rs. 110 crore each for two Assembly constituencies and directed officials to ensure uninterrupted and adequate power supply.
He observed that drinking water, roads and electricity are among the most important basic facilities and said development works must be carried out with proper consultation and guidance from local residents.
CESC Executive Engineer Ramachandra informed the meeting that 70 gangmen are currently working and efforts are being made to ensure there are no disruptions in electricity supply.
DCC Bank President B.N. Ganapathy sought details regarding the number of employees and vacancies in the Kodagu CESC division and said clarity was required on staffing levels.
Officials informed the meeting that KPTCL works are progressing in Hudikeri, while works have commenced in Balele. Sub-power stations are also being established at Kalathmadu, Siddapur and Katakeri.
Minister Bhosaraju expressed dissatisfaction that discussions regarding power substations had continued for over a year without tangible progress.
MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda urged Forest Department officials to work with greater humanity and sensitivity towards the public. He also emphasized the need to prioritize electricity connections and other essential facilities.
While reviewing the Jal Jeevan Mission project, the Minister stated that nearly 50 per cent of the works were unsatisfactory and stressed the need to safeguard water resources.
MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda noted that works worth Rs. 450 crore had been undertaken and suggested an inquiry to assess how effectively the benefits had reached the public.
The meeting also reviewed the implementation of food distribution schemes such as Annabhagya. Concerns were raised regarding the conversion of BPL cards into APL cards, which, according to speakers, has adversely affected poor families in rural areas.
The Minister directed officials to exercise caution in such matters. Municipal Council President P. Kalavathi also highlighted that BPL cards are crucial for availing medical treatment benefits and expressed concern over the conversion of eligible beneficiaries into the APL category.
Food Department Deputy Director M. Bheemaraya informed the meeting that the district currently has 8,670 AAY cards, 97,046 BPL cards and 42,260 APL ration cards.
He further stated that 8,459 online applications had been received for new ration cards, of which 7,350 had been processed. A total of 782 applications had been rejected, while 327 remain pending.
Reviewing fertilizer supply, the Minister instructed officials to ensure proper distribution of fertilizers to farmers without any shortages or complaints. He directed authorities to conduct random inspections following complaints regarding discrepancies in the weight of fertilizer bags.
He stated that the issue would be discussed with the Agriculture Minister and expressed concern that such discrepancies appeared to be specific to Kodagu district and were not being reported elsewhere in the state.
The Minister instructed Assistant Directors and Agriculture Officers to conduct inspections at the local level.
Joint Director of Agriculture Chandrashekhar informed the meeting that adequate fertilizer stocks were available in the district. He said fertilizers including urea, DAP, MOP, complex fertilizers and SSP had been supplied.
According to him, 2,453 metric tonnes of fertilizer had been supplied during the current year, while 40,971 metric tonnes are currently available, of which 2,189 metric tonnes have already been distributed.
DCC Bank Chairman B.N. Ganapathy again drew the Minister’s attention to complaints regarding fertilizer bag weights and urged strict action. He stressed that protecting the interests of farmers was everyone’s responsibility.
The Minister also warned officials to remain alert regarding complaints of illegal transportation of fertilizers to neighbouring states.
