50/50! ‘I asked 50 Queries & Got 50 Answers at the 10-Day Belagavi Session’ – MLC Ivan D’Souza
Mangaluru: Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at his office here on December 29, MLC Ivan D ‘Souza said, ” At the recently concluded 10-days winter session of the Karnataka Vidhana Parishad held in Belagavi from 10 December until 21 December 2018, I had the opportunity to ask 50 questions, among which six were starred questions and I also got the answers for all my 50 questions. Most of these questions will be debated during the forthcoming sessions held at Vidhana Soudha, where suitable answers will also be given to them at that time”.
Slamming at the Central government and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLC Ivan said, “Since BJP took over to lead this country and their projects planned for DK have failed miserably. Even MP Nalin Kumar Kateel who had assured many things to the people of DK, has not shown any positive results. He had promised of making Mangaluru Central Railway Station of world-class standard, but it has not materialized. Also, his assurances of Kankanady fly-over being done by December 2018 will be a joke- I bet it will take another 20 years to complete, the way the work is progressing. Also, MP Kateel had promised that he will abolish toll in DK, but that didn’t happen either”.
MLC Ivan further said, “Among the questions that I had asked, was one related to Kasturi Rangan report which was supposed to be implemented in 40 villages in three taluks of Puttur, Sullia and Belthangady, but unfortunately there was opposition to it, and the government is not going ahead in implementing it in DK. I had also asked about why the Catholic feast of Nativity of BVM on Sept 8 was not declared as a holiday, but due to certain reasons it was not approved this year, but it will surely be one as per Chief Minister. I had also questioned about the MRPL Fourth Phase extension which is ruining the farmers rights to their land. At present each acre of land cost nearly Rs 1 Crore 80 lakhs, but the DC has approved 1 acre of land at Rs 60 lakhs, which is not right. I will see into it in the nearest future”.
“I had also questioned MRPL as to why they are not hiring more Kannadigas as their employee, and the reply that I got from the company was that there are 1304 Kannadigas out of 1868 employees-for which I have asked the company to prove it with documents and the lists of Kannadigas names. I even asked why NITK has not been upgraded yet, because why do students have to go elsewhere for higher studies, like IIT etc. I asked about why is the delay in constructing a new Gurupura bridge, which was supposed to be started by this time. I am happy to tell you that I never missed a single day of the 10-days the session, and made use of all the chances I got to put forth the required questions for the benefit of the citizens and for the development of DK.
I had even questioned about the sand issues, which is creating lots of inconveniences to the builders and for citizens who want to build their dream homes. I had also asked queries pertaining to arecanut growers, and also about Mangaluru International Airport being privatized, which received full support during the session, and will be discussed more on them during the assembly session soon”, added MLC Ivan D’Souza.