‘Feel Blessed to be DC of this Great District’- Dr KG Jagadeesha
“I am overwhelmed and feel blessed to be the Deputy Commissioner of this great Dakshina Kannada District” said Dr KG Jagadeesha, the DC of Dakshina Kannada, during a interactive session hosted by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the members of the Chamber and general public, at KCCI Hall on Wednesday, 2 November, on issues and concerns of the District
Mangaluru: The district is the Principal Administrative unit below the state level. The Deputy Commissioner, being the head of the District Administration, is perhaps the only officer vested with powers under the largest number of both Central and State Laws. The D.C. office comes in direct contact with the people and people’s representatives at various levels. The office of the Deputy Commissioner apart from having many original works enumerated under different Acts and Rules has got the supervisory and coordinating roles at the district level. Apart from regulatory functions, the Deputy Commissioner guides and coordinates the developmental activities of the district.
The responsibility of General Administration of the District lies with the Deputy Commissioner. He is the Executive Head and has threefold roles as: Deputy Commissioner; District Collector; and District Magistrate. He is the Chief Revenue Officer as District Collector and is responsible for the collection of Revenue and other Govt. dues recoverable as arrears of Land Revenue. He deals with the Natural Calamities like drought, unseasonal rains, hailstorms, floods and fire etc. He is also responsible for the maintenance of Law and Order within the limit of his jurisdiction. In this way, he has effective control over the Administration. And DC is the right person to deal with the Issues and Concerns faced by the citizens of the District.
And for that matter, Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) hosted an Interactive meeting with the Chamber members and the general public on the topic, “Issues and Concerns of the district” on Wednesday, 2 November at KCCI Hall from 5 pm onwards. Jeevan Saldanha, the President of KCCI welcomed the gathering, and in his speech, he said, ” We need to Promote ‘BRAND MANGALURU’ to encourage Manufacturing, Tourism, Information Technology and Employment Generation. Mangaluru /Dakshina Kannada district has ample natural resources and human talent which can be leveraged better for the growth of the district and also promote ‘BRAND MANGALURU’, across the Karnataka State and the country. A better infrastructure, promotion of IT and Tourism / sports ETC. can help to achieve this objective, and will also generate more jobs for the people of this region. I request DC’s kind consideration towards the issues and concerns that we would be forwarding him through a memorandum and ask him to take them up at the appropriate levels using his good offices and to ensure these aspirations of the Trade, Commerce, Industry and the General People of this region, the erstwhile Dakshina Kannada District are fulfilled at his hands while in office”.
An overview of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations was briefed to the audience by Srinivas S Kamath-Past President and Chairman of the Jubilee celebrations, and the First copy of the Platinum Jubilee Souvenir was handed over to the Chief Guest, Dr KG Jagadeesh, IAS by Capt. John Prasad Menezes, past president, and also the Chairman of the Jubilee Souvenir Committee. Following the introduction of the Chief Guest by Vathika Pai- Vice President, KCCI, Dr Jagadeesh addressing the gathering said, ” Decades ago people used to discuss Army, Navy and Air Force, and how they protect the nation. But at present people discuss the economic growth and infrastructure of the nation. India and China will very soon emerge as the fastest economically growing countries in the world”.
” We nee to promote more and more industries for the growth of the nation, or a state or a district. DK is a very important district since it is connected with Road, Rail and Air. I feel blessed to be the Dc of this great district. If we all work together very hard, this District can emerge as the best tourist destination, since there are vast opportunities in tourism development here. DK should also be a major player in IT sector, for which I will discuss with the concerned authorities during a meeting to be held soon in Bengaluru. The issues and concerns of this district will be my first priority, and I will try my best to solve most of the issues and concerns during my tenure. I have also pushed forward the need for the expansion of Mangaluru International Airport, requesting the government to allot 100 acres more for development. We will also see that the Railway Station will be upgraded to the International standards” added DC.
He further said, ” I have a meeting with the railway authorities, but only concern is acquiring the suitable land. Many railway issues are beyond our control. The old Mangalore Port is also in a bad shape, which needs an extreme make-over. I am glad that KCCI has chalk down a comprehensive plan for the development of the City. My plan is to understand what citizens want, want to hear what the citizens have to say, hear their grievances, views and ideas- so that we can together build a better district and reach DK and Mangaluru to greater heights. I need the support of organizations and citizens, in general, to carry on with my duties for the betterment of the district and Mangaluru City”.
In the question-answer session posed by the audience to DC, of which, B Shenoy said that there is no coordination between the DC office and the citizens in the Swachh Bharath Abhiyan, for which the DC replied saying, ” Swachh Bharath Abhiyan is a mass movement, it is peoples’ movement. The DC administration alone can’t make this campaign successful, it needs the active participation of citizens. Household members should start segregating waste, for which support is very much needed. Everyone has to maintain cleanliness, then only we can make this Abhiyan successful and fruitful”.
HR Alva raised a complaint saying that the DC office should be moved from the present location, and since many protests, procession are headed to this DC’s present location creates traffic congestion. In reply in a lighter vein, DC said “During my entire tenure at other locations, citizens were requesting to move industries out of the city, but here they want DC office to be moved away. Anyways, the plan on constructing the DC office at Padil is still on, just waiting to get a clearance from the court”. Manoj complained about Wenlock Hospital and Lady Goschen Hospitals be handed over to private firms, like it has happened in Udupi, for which DC replied, ” Wenlock hospital doesn’t need a private owner. It needs renovation and upgrading, where Rs 28 crore is needed. Once the funds are sanctioned, work will start. Regarding Lady Goschen hospital, we still need Rs10 crore, of which we right now have only Rs 4 crore left, other Rs 6 crore need to be arranged- once the funds are available, the completion will be done by February 2017″.
Sophia Zacharias raised the issue of Nanthoor Circle being very large which results in traffic congestion- if the size is reduced there could be smooth flow of traffic, also was concerned about the flyover planned long ago- for which DC said that discussions will be held with NH authorities tomorrow about the flyover and other highway issues. Other questions raised by the audience were on drainage, footpath, parking, irregular manholes, non-safety road dividers, siren by ambulances past curfew hours, shrill horns by buses etc- for which the DC assured of timely action from his side at the earliest.
The DC was presented with a memento, an elaborate book on the history of DK and Mangaluru. The Vote of thanks was delivered by Praveen Kumar Kalbhavi-the Honorary secretary of KCCI. Capt John Prasad Menezes- Former KCCI president, Ganesh Bhat- Hon. Treasurer, KCCI; Ms Vathika Pai- VP, KCCI; PB Abdul Hameed- Hon. Secretary, KCCI; and CA Srinivas Kamath- Past President, KCCI were also present on the dais.
The following memorandum with Issues and Concerns was presented to the DC, Dr KG Jagadeesh during the Interactive Meeting by KCCI President, Jeevan Saldanha:
We need to promote BRAND MANGALURU to encourage Manufacturing, Tourism, Information Technology and Employment Generation. Mangaluru /Dakshina Kannada district has ample natural resources & human talent which can be leveraged better for the growth of the district and also promote ‘BRAND MANGALURU’, across the Karnataka State and the country. A better infrastructure, promotion of IT & Tourism / sports ETC. can help to achieve this objective, and will also generate more jobs for the people of this region.
We submit the following for your kind consideration and for taking them up at the appropriate levels using your good offices and to ensure these aspirations of the Trade, Commerce, Industry and the General People of this region, the erstwhile Dakshina Kannada District are fulfilled at your hands:
Promote Tourism:
The district of Dakshina Kannada is unique as it caters to all forms of Tourism. Be it Eco Tourism, Beach Tourism, Religious Tourism, we have everything to meet the varied interests of tourists. In this regard, we, at KCCI, would like to bring to your kind notice some suggestions that would help in promoting Tourism in our district in a big way.
– The KCCI calls for setting up of a separate Karavali Tourism Development Authority to develop tourism and other related activities.
– The Authority could develop and showcase the Waterfront of Mangalore and the Coastal Karavali region including Adventure Water Sports such as Surfing, Kayaking, House Boats and Beach Resorts along with the Unique Cuisine of the Karavali region.
The Central Government has sanctioned funds for the development of 5 of our beaches. The contract for developing the beaches has been given to the KRIDL, which has not initiated the work at any of the beaches even after 2 years of getting the contract for the same. So we request you to kindly suggest to the Government to include Sashihithlu and Panambur and look into the implementation of the same so that the work can be completed within a given time frame.
We have had the Indian Surfing League at Sashihithlu this year and will have many such surfing events at this beach in future. It can be declared as an exclusive surf beach, in order to promote Surf Tourism in our district.
– Back Water Tourism is another viable form of tourism in our District, which needs to be promoted and supported.
– Home-stays should be encouraged, thus providing a means of livelihood to many locals in the district.
– The New Mangalore Port should be declared as an Embarkation Point, so that tourists, as well as sailors, can join the cruise liners and other cargo vessels at Mangalore.
– Regular passenger ship service from Mangalore to Lakshadweep along with the proper infrastructure to support the same is required for promotion of tourism.
– An amusement park can be set up at Tannirbhavi, to cater to thousands of tourists thronging at our beaches.
– The 40 acre Bagundi Lake which was home to hundreds of bird species, was acquired by KIADB and sold to JESCO and has been polluted by untreated wastewater. The same needs to be restored as a lake and developed as a tourist destination.
– Event centres by the waterfront for conferences, conventions, seminars, etc need to be promoted making it an attractive destination for MICEtourism.
Promote IT:
Mangalore has a long history of entrepreneurship and has given birth to many successful organizations including leaders in Banking, Education and Healthcare etc. However, Mangalore’s track record in incubating companies in the knowledge and technology industries is not very commendable, even though there is a large pool of talent being available in this region.
– Showcase Mangaluru as a next IT destination in Karnataka during ‘Invest Karnataka’ meet.
– Encourage / support 3-4 big IT companies to set up offices in Mangaluru in the next 1-2 years.
– Project Mangaluru as a BPO hub of Karnataka
– Incubation center for SMEs / StartUps, within the city
– Set up a state-of-the-art incubation center, to support all start-ups / SMEs / Entrepreneurs, and provide the needed eco-system / support.
Traffic Issues:
Following are some of the suggestions regarding road infrastructure and traffic related issues, in order to ease the movement of traffic, for your consideration.
– All long distance/inter-city buses including private and state-run should not come to inside the city during peak hours.
– Processions / Protest Marches on main roads to be banned.
– Zero tolerance for one-way violations especially by two wheelers.
– Shift the Vehicle Registration Inspection process from the RTO office to the respective vehicle(4-wheeler) showrooms.
– Motorbikes with high back seat should be registered as single-seater vehicles, and due to the design, they are very unsafe for the pillion rider. It is recommended that such bikes are registered as single rider vehicles and strictly enforce one-person ride in these vehicles, to avoid accidents/deaths of citizens.
– Taxi aggregators should be allowed in the airport & railway stations in Mangaluru.
– Explore the possibility of making more one-ways / circular roads within the city.
– Define & enforce ‘no-horn’ zones within the city.
– Spread the Govt. /Departmental offices across the city to decongest Hampankatta area.
– Organize training (on traffic rules) to Taxi / Auto / Bus drivers, with incentive schemes. Private business / group participation can be encouraged for this purpose, as it is going to benefit everyone in the city.
– Identify the high-density traffic people crossing areas within the city, and plan for skywalks. Cost can be recovered through advertisements / banners from private parties and CSR activities of major companies.
– Temporarily, explore the possibility of using the space around Forum mall area to spread the city/service bus-stand. However, in the long run, we recommend for having 3 bus-stand hubs (For eg.Bikarnakatta, Kankanady, Urva), and run mini-buses between these hubs, to ease the entire city / service / express buses traffic coming into the central city.
– Involve Traffic Police Department in urban planning. KCCI recommends them to be part of the smart city SPV also.
– We request your intervention to ensure better co-ordination between NHAI / State Govt. and the local authorities including the Traffic police, City corporation, MESCOM etc., in all the infrastructure projects within & around the city.
City Infrastructure:
– A thorough review and strict action against designated parking spaces being used for commercial purposes & also encroachment of Govt. land within the city.
– While most of the roads within the city are concretized, the footpaths for pedestrians are neglected, and this needs immediate attention and Pedestrian Crossings to be prescribed for on priority.
– With the kind of rainfall that Mangalore City receives, planning needs to be done in order to avoid the Storm Water gushing into the low lying area in the City limit.
– To address the severe parking issue, construct 1-2 multi-level car parking buildings inside the city.
– Explore the possibilities of using the existing Govt quarters (for eg.Urva stores), for Govt. departments / offices, with a vertical structure for employee quarters in order to utilize land optimally.
– We need more Lung space for the City as it grows into a Smart City and we need to protect and develop Parks, Play Areas for Children, Walkways for senior citizens, Sports Infrastructure such as Cycling Tracks, Stadiums etc.
– Truck terminals are required for the Port and the Industrial areas as there is congestion due to parking of trucks along the highways in these areas.
– Roads in the Baikampady Industrial Area need immediate attention, as they are in very bad condition.
– Proper services roads to be built on either side of the highways, especially near the flyovers.
– The Ring road project to be expedited in order to decrease the traffic congestion in the City. It also opens up new areas for development such as for housing.
– All our markets lack proper infrastructure. Basic comfort level has to be given to all citizens who use the Markets. It is trade and commerce activity on an everyday basis. Standard amenities to be provided at all markets so that time, money and energy are saved at every level.
Mangalore International Airport:
– Mangalore International Airport has one of the highest year-on- year passenger growth rates in India, with a 54 percent growth in international passenger traffic. Visa on Arrival facility should be made available at Mangalore International Airport like some of the other airports in the country in order to cater to the growing number of international passengers coming to Mangalore.
– The Approach road to the Airport is not proper before the Railway overbridge. Concreting needs to be completed near Sri Devi College so as to reach the airport without delays.
– There is No public transport to the Airport. NURM, KSRTC & Private buses should be allowed up to the first circle just outside the airport for pick up and drop.
– Amenities such as Washrooms, Restaurant etc. for Visitors need to be provided as there is very basic/ no amenities for them.
Railways:
– Formation of a separate Railway Division for Mangalore and Up-gradation of Mangalore Railway Station to World Class / International level has been a long pending request of the railway users of Dakshina Kannada and this will give a boost to the economy of this region.
– The Mangalore – Bangalore train to run via Arasikere and thus reduce the travel time from Mangalore to Bangalore and vice-versa from the present 12 hours to 8 hours.
– Railway Over Bridges at Padil and Jeppu are needed to ease the traffic disruptions.
– We request a Stop at Surathkal for all the north-bound trains. We propose a High-Speed Rail link between Konaje to Manipal, as there are a large number of students over 10,000 in number, commuting between the Educational and IT Hubs at Deralakatte, Mangaluru city and Udupi / Manipal city.
– Proper Approach roads are needed to the Mangalore Central and Mangalore Junction railway stations, with adequate parking facilities.
Dedicating Berth No.8 for handling containers at NMPT:
– New Mangalore Port Trust(NMPT) has proposed to hand over berth No.8 to a PPP operator for handling containers. As per the proposal, the operator will have the right to handle all clean dry bulk cargoes at this berth, in addition to containers. If the berth No.8, which is the only deep draft berth available at NMPT for dry bulk cargoes with a draft of 14 meters, is handed over to a PPP operator, it will have a disastrous impact on the stevedores and C&F agents of this Port, who use this berth for all deep draft bulk vessels calling on this Port.
KCCI strongly objects to the proposal of handing over all cargo operations to one vendor by blocking one premium berth and depriving the right to livelihood of those who are dependent on port related activities at NMPT since decades.
Development of Old Mangalore Port :
The Old Mangalore Port is one of the prominent minor ports of Karnataka. For many years this Port has not seen any major infrastructural developments. Though this port is mainly being used for sailing / fishing vessels, the Port lacks marine Infrastructure, which is being highlighted here below:
– Depth alongside the berth and channel to be deepened. The depth of the channel is less than the depth alongside the berth. Dredging at the channel to be carried out on a priority basis.
– Navigational equipment is missing and not in designated places.
– For safe movement of vessels, both inward and outward, the port should be equipped with sufficient Pilots, launch and tug.
– Regular passenger service is available between Mangalore and Lakshadweep. The work on exclusive passenger jetty to be expedited.
– There is no shelter and drinking water facility available at the jetty for workers.
Effective Water Management for Dakshina Kannada:
Though our Districts are blessed with abundant rains during the South Western Monsoons, we need to adhere to watershed management at all places within the District, which will include rainwater harvesting, renovation of old water tanks, recycling of water including usage of STP water etc.
We trust that your good self would take up these issues seriously and do the needful at your best possible and enlighten us and the general public on the action that you initiate on these subjects.