Hebbalkar directs officials to make field visits to redress public grievances

Udupi district in charge Miniser Laxmi Hebbalkar on Friday, October 31, was surprised to learn that crop loss in the district had just been on 34.72 ha despite the district receiving unprecedented heavy rains and wondered whether officials concerned made adequate field visits to assess the damage.

Chairing the Karnataka Development Programme review meeting at the district office complex, Rajatadri, in Manipal, Ms. Hebbalkar said people’s representatives were answerable to the electorate as people put them to test once in five years. Officials should shun the attitude of working at their whim and respond to public grievances properly, she chided.

The Minister said the government was preparing action plan to disburse ₹8,000 crore relief to farmers across the State towards crop loss on account of excess rains.

Ms. Hebbalkar directed the Zilla Panchayat CEO to personally visit minor check dams built across the district at an estimated cost of ₹6 core as there were complaints that the dams do not hold any water. She directed officials to complete works under the Rashtreeya Jal Jeevan Mission by providing tap connection to all 1.8 lakh households; as of now, only 1.49 lakh connections were given.

The Minister directed the Deputy Commissioner to issue notice to the Forest Department within four days for its objection for laterite stone quarrying in private lands. She noted that though permits were issued for quarrying in private lands, the Forest Department was objecting to it thereby affecting the construction industry. She asked the administration to ensure construction material, including sand and laterite stone, was adequately available for people to build houses.

Karkala MLA V. Sunil Kumar said there were instances of people’s representatives not being invicted to government programmes as per the protocol. Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna said the Jal Jeevan Missio works in 13 gram panchayats in his constituency were not properly executed. Kapu MLA highlighted the continued sea erosion his constituency and demanded proper action to prevent the same. Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole and Kundapura MLA A. Kiran Kumar Kodgi, MLCs Dhananjay Sarji, Manjunath Bhandary and S.L. Bhoje Gowda spoke.

On the occasion, the participants took the National Unity pledge to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.

Deputy Commissioner T.K. Swaroopa, Zilla Panchayat CEO Prateek Bayal, Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar and others were present.