Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (NJC)
Mangaluru, Sep 2: Karnataka minister of Health and Family Welfare U T Khader on Wednesday addressed a press meet at the Circuit House in Mangaluru, highlighting measures to strengthen food safety enforcement, voter enrolment, Dasara celebrations, infrastructure works and overseas education opportunities for students.
Khader said food safety inspections would be intensified across the State, with the primary objective of protecting public health rather than shutting down businesses.
Following a complaint against a sweet manufacturing factory, officials conducted an inspection and ordered the temporary closure of two units. Show-cause notices have also been issued, and further legal action will be taken based on the responses received.
Khader stressed that the enforcement drive was not intended to destroy businesses or affect livelihoods. Instead, food business operators must ensure that consumers receive safe, unadulterated and high-quality food while maintaining proper hygiene standards.
He said the inspection drive, which has been undertaken beyond Bengaluru, would be expanded to major cities including Mangaluru, Hubballi, Mysuru and Belagavi. All food business operators will be required to strictly follow prescribed standards of purity, quality and hygiene.
Khader also spoke about introducing a digital grievance mechanism using QR codes and barcodes at commercial establishments and public places.
Consumers will be able to scan the codes and immediately register complaints. The system will automatically forward complaints to the concerned department. Food-related complaints will be routed to the Food Safety Department, while complaints concerning expired or substandard medicines will be sent directly to the Drugs Control Department.
The complaints will also be integrated with the official State website to enable systematic monitoring and ensure that officials follow up on grievances.
Displaying such QR codes or barcodes will be made mandatory at restaurants, pharmacies and other public places, he said.
Khader said PG accommodations, hostels, mess facilities and caterers must maintain strict standards of cleanliness and food quality.
Health advisory boards containing around six to eight important health and hygiene guidelines will have to be displayed at such establishments. He urged PG and hostel owners to consider the health and wellbeing of residents as their responsibility and serve nutritious and safe food.
He said those unwilling to comply with basic hygiene and food safety standards should not operate such establishments.
Voter Verification: Focus on Inclusion, says Khader
Speaking about the second phase of voter-list verification and enrolment, Khader said he had discussed the matter with the Election Commission and the Chief Minister.
He said, as per Election Commission guidelines, officials should give priority to inclusion rather than deletion and ensure that no eligible voter is left out. Every citizen who has attained the age of 18 should be enrolled as a voter as provided under law.
Officials will issue notices to voters in cases of spelling mistakes, name discrepancies and other errors so that corrections can be made.
Khader also raised concerns regarding citizens living abroad who may face difficulties in visiting local offices for voter-related procedures. He said a uniform, State-level mechanism should be established to enable eligible non-resident citizens to exercise their voting rights without confusion.
He said officials in his constituency were undertaking door-to-door verification to ensure maximum enrolment of eligible voters.
Grand Dasara Celebrations Planned in Mangaluru
Khader said preparations were also underway for the upcoming Navaratri and Dasara celebrations in Mangaluru.
He said chief minister D K Shivakumar had assured full support for the arrangements. Dasara, he said, is not merely a festival but an important celebration of Karnataka's history, culture and traditions, which should be passed on to younger generations. Meetings have been held with legislators, officials and community representatives to chalk out the celebrations.
A special one-day Yuva Dasara will be organised at Ullal during the nine-day festivities. The event will feature cultural programmes, performances by renowned artists and an award ceremony recognising youngsters who have achieved success at the national or State level in sports, education and culture.
Khader added that the Chief Minister had instructed the department to organise Dasara sports competitions at the taluk, district and State levels.
Khader Questions Capacity of KRDL for Rain-Damage Works
Khader also raised concerns regarding the allocation of rain-damage relief works to Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRDL) instead of the Public Works Department (PWD). He questioned whether KRDL had adequate engineers, staff and technical capacity to undertake and supervise large-scale infrastructure works on the ground.
Concerns were also raised about the tendering and supervision of works, with allegations that contractors in some cases undertake the work, prepare bills and obtain signatures without adequate direct supervision.
Khader said that when road-related damage occurs, responsibility ultimately rests with the PWD and local authorities. Therefore, he argued that the PWD should be the appropriate executing agency for road-related works.
He also questioned whether the direct allocation of works to KRDL by legislators could result in an excessive workload and operational inefficiencies due to limited manpower.
A suggestion was also raised on whether the operations of the Land Army/KRDL should be restricted or reviewed if the organisation is unable to handle the workload effectively.
On procurement procedures, Khader clarified that engineering divisions under the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department (RDPR) must follow the prescribed tendering rules.
According to the rules, works exceeding Rs 5 lakh require a formal public tender process. He stressed the need for compliance with procurement and tender procedures while executing government works.
Khader also announced a government-supported Study Abroad Expo being organised under the guidance of Skill Development minister Sharan Prakash Patil and chief minister D K Shivakumar.
The expo will be held on Sunday, September 6, at Gayatri Vihar, Gate No. 4, Palace Grounds, Bengaluru.
Representatives of around 70 leading foreign universities are expected to participate. Students and parents will have an opportunity to directly interact with university representatives and obtain information about courses, fee structures, scholarships, admission procedures and eligibility criteria.
Khader said the initiative aims to protect students and parents from fraudulent agents and middlemen who may misguide families, recommend unsuitable institutions or impose excessive and hidden charges.
Direct interaction with universities will provide students with a more transparent and reliable route to overseas education, along with information on government scholarship opportunities.
He added that participating institutions would be held accountable, and the State government would have the authority to blacklist any university found to have misled or deceived students through the fair.
Khader appealed to students and parents across Karnataka, particularly those from the coastal region, who are planning to pursue higher education abroad, to make use of the opportunity.