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Udupi: Minister directs officials to clear formalities for sand mining


Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, June 4, 2017: Speaking at the quarterly Karnataka Development Project (KDP) meeting convened at Zilla Panchayat hall Udupi,  District in-charge minister Pramod Madhwaraj said sand extraction in CRZ area may begin from August as the required formalities, as directed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to provide licence, are being carried out.


KDP meeting


The Minister said the work on legalising  the process of sand extraction has been taken care of to prevent confusion.

He said the district is facing acute shortage of sand. The Public Works Department (PWD) and PRED executive engineers should be alert and should not create problems to people. The executive engineers were directed to provide sand for the people on cash and later deposit the amount in the form of cheque to the mines and geology department, he said.

The minister reviewed the progress of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

Zilla Panchayat deputy secretary said 15.68 crore was spent in 2016-17 under the scheme. The amount spent in 2015-16 was Rs 5.47 crore and in 2014-15, it was 4.95 crore and in 2013-14, it was 4.26 crore. The material expenditure for the year 2016-17 is also high with Rs 1.56 crore spent on it and Rs 12.56 crore is expended as wage payment.

The minister said open wells and cattle shed works should be taken up under MGREGS along with playground works.

Udupi DC Priyanka Mary Francis said only eight engineers are working in the district. Each engineer has 20 Gram Panchayats under him. Despite this, the progress rate is nearly 94 percent. There are 26 engineers in Dakshina Kannada, she said.

The minister said he will take stringent action against contractors and the officials if the assigned projects under rural drinking water supply are not completed within three months.

He also said that he will hold separate a meeting on water supply and look into the success rate in the completion of the projects taken up. The minister also enquired about water supply through tankers.

DDPI said that there are 1,351 seats under RTE and 695 applications have been applied.

MLC Prathapchandra Shetty said experts’ opinion should be taken to convert Varahi irrigation project beneficial for the public. He said a separate meeting should be convened to discuss the issue.

Superintendent of Police K T Balakrishna said sign boards and barricades have been put up to prevent accidents on national highways.

The minister said officials should be held responsible for the accidents that occur due to the negligence of the national highway authorities.

He said fisher women are facing problems to get loan and told the lead bank manager to look into the issue.

The deputy commissioner briefed the meeting about the initiatives to taken to solve solid waste management problem at gram panchayat-level.