DHNS

Mangalore, Sep 1:  All those people who have not yet been provided with the title deeds pertaining to the Ashraya Projects, Land Army Tribunal, other housing projects and ‘Akrama Sakrama’ must be provided with the title deeds by December, ordered District-in-Charge Minister B Nagaraj Shetty presiding over the Karnataka Development Project review meeting held at Zilla Panchayat hall on Friday August 31.

Shetty took the officers to task for the reported delay in the distribution of the title deeds and said that such attitude by the officers towards the poor people is unacceptable.

He lauded officers of Sullia taluk for having distributed over 2,000 title deeds in two months time and said that it was disheartening to know that taluks like Mangalore, Bantwal and Puttur and lacking behind in this work. He said that the rest of the taluks must take Sullia as role model and take up distribution works as soon as possible.

Responding to this, Deputy Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said that he would convene a meeting with the Tahshildar to discuss and settle the pending cases in the revenue department and to take up distribution of title deeds at the earliest.

MLA U T Kader brought to the notice of the Minister the plight of the 390 Ashraya homes built under Rajiv Gandhi Housing Project about 7 years ago, which has not yet been allotted and has turned into a safe abode for various anti-social activities.

Responding to this, the Minister said that a committee presided over by MLA U T Kader should study the details of the project and the situation right now and submit a report to Deputy Commissioner so that the decision could be taken on the issue at the earliest and the houses could be handed over to the needy.

Shetty said that the Paediatric unit donated by Infosys Mangalore to District Wenlock Hospital should be inaugurated and offered for the public on Children’s Day, November 14 itself without fail.

Responding to Shetty, District Surgeon Dr Prabhudeva said that the unit needs certain equipment to be installed while as a whole there is no shortage of medicines in the hospital.

A sum of Rs 1.9 crore was released to the Hospital to incorporate new equipment in the hospital, accordingly Dr Prabhudeva said that there were 6 dialysis machine in the hospital, which are in good condition. Shetty said that one machine could be shifted to Puttur for the convenience of the rural people so that they need not travel to the cities.

Drinking water

The problems pertaining to the acquisition of 4 km of land on the National Highway belonging to railway department to lay the drinking water pipelines for the drinking water project from Thumbe to Mangalore is solved. KUDCEMP Project Director J R Lobo said that the works will be started as soon as the rains stop and will be completed by 2008.

He said that while drinking water project will be completed by May 2008, UGD project will be completed by December 2008.

Rural buses

Regarding the proposal of introducing bus services in rural region during the school timing in the morning and evening, Shetty asked the DC to give permission to the RTA so that the KSRTC buses could ply in the rural area, which has remained to be mainly the private bus domain.

Shetty said that initially it will be provided in the morning and evening and later the authorities will decide upon extending the facility. Shetty also said that funds from natural disaster funds would be provided to repair the roads in Belthangady area where the buses have stopped plying due to bad roads.

Gadi Bhavana

Shetty said that the foundation for the proposed ‘Gadi Bhavana’ will be laid on November 1 and will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 68 lac, of which Rs 20 lac will be provided by the government while the remaining amount will be raised from MP, MLA, MLC and Minister’s fund.

ZP President Sushma Janardhan, CEO A M Kunjappa, Superintendent of Police Sathish Kumar and others were present.