Baje dam dredging figures in Udupi CMC meeting

Baje dam dredging figures in Udupi CMC meeting

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 1,2017:The issues of dredging Baje dam and improving drainage flow of multi-storeyed buildings figured prominently in the general body meeting of Udupi City Municipal Council here on Monday.

Raising the issue, Janardhan Bhandarkar, councillor, said that dredging the dam was a must as this would increase its storage capacity and help in providing water to the people in summer.

D. Manjunathaiah, CMC Commissioner, said that the district administration had brought the issue to the notice of the State government. Accordingly, the Department of Mines and Geology had been given permission to take up dredging in four blocks. Dreadging can start only after monsoon, he said.

M.R. Pai, councillor, said that drainage water was over-flowing from some man-holes in the city during monsoon. People in the surrounding areas had to bear with the stench, he said.

Intervening, Mr. Manjunathaiah said that this problem was acute in areas which had high-rise buildings. There were about 510 apartments with about 10,500 flats besides hospitals and commercial complexes.

A ward-wise meeting of flat owners and hospital administrators would be called soon in phases and they would be told to improve their drainage system or install small sewage treatment plants, he said.

Mr. Bhandarkar said that the Kallianpur-Santhekatte Junction, through which the National Highway 66 passed, was difficult for both vehicles and pedestrians to pass. There was also a market there. Some arrangements needed to be made to ease the congestion, he said.

Mr. Manjunathaiah said that already a different place had been earmarked for the market and basic facilities would be provided there. He and the Executive Engineer of the National Highways Authority of India had visited the spot. The construction of three bus bays was essential in the area, he said.

Vasanti Shetty and S.P. Kudva, councillors, said that there were no high-mast lamps at the Ambalpady Junction and the Car Street, which was causing lot of inconvenience. Mr. Manjunathaiah said that two emergency lamps had been installed at Ambaplady Junction, while lamps would be installed at Car Street soon.

Prashanth Amin, councillor, said that he had been demanding small sewage suction trucks which could move on narrow roads in his ward. It was decided to purchase a couple of small sewage suction trucks.

Earlier, the meeting began on a stormy note with the ruling Congress and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clashing over unruly scenes in the general body meeting last month. Mr. Manjunathaiah said that the matter had been referred to the Directorate of Municipal Administration, bringing an end to the verbal duel between the Treasury and the Opposition Benches.