Importance must be given to urban development: Ponnuraj

Importance must be given to urban development: Ponnuraj

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Feb 19: Pointing out that Mangalore has better potential than Mysore, Dharwad, and Hubli, District Commissioner V Ponnuraj urged A Ravidra, the advisor to the chief minister on urban affairs, to give importance to Mangalore urban development. He was delivering the key-note address at a workshop on states draft urban development policy organized by the Department of Urban Development in the Conference Hall of SDM College of Business Management on Feb 19, Friday.

 

Alleging that the District Planning Committee was constituted for the sake of it and does not function like other town planning organizations, the DC said that the committee cannot give importance to urban issues because the president of the Zilla Panchayath, who heads the committee, has power over rural areas alone. He said that the policy must give importance to the town planning scheme so that the new areas get good infrastructure.

 

In his inaugural speech, A Ravindra said that previously no discussions were held by the government before framing and releasing a policy. However, the government has now prepared a blue print for the developmental draft and discussed it with officers and members of the public before implementing it, he said.

 

Lauding the critical analysis given by the DC, he said that Dakshina Kannada is not only the district of educators, but also the district of intellectuals. Speaking about the problems related to infrastructure, he said that we have to develop a new mode of thinking because old thought patterns lead to old unsolved problems.

 

 

 

Shambhu Dayal Meena, the secretary of the department of urban development, was the chief guest of the event. Speaking about the tendency of the educated to uphold their economic and social rights, but refuse to take up their responsibilities, Mr. Meena said that this workshop will serve to educate the masses and give them good advise and recommendations on urban development.

 

In his presidential address, Mayor Shankar Bhat said that the government has withdrawn the powers of the standing committee to enable the Mangalore City Corporation to provide licenses.

 

Dr  K N Vijayaprakash, the commissioner of Mangalore City Corporation, welcomed the gathering. Manohar Prasad compered the programme. Gokuldas Nayak, the municipal commissioner of Udupi, proposed vote of thanks.

 

Rajani Duganna, the deputy mayor; MLA U T Khader; Dr Devraj, the principal of SDM College of Business Management; and Dr Ashwin were the dignitaries on the dais.