HK Patil gives colourful start to Holapu – 2016
Udupi: The day-long Sports meet “Holapu – 2016” for the elected representatives from local and urban bodies of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts was flagged off in a colourful note at the Viveka institution ground, Kota here on Sunday, September 25.
“Holapu – 2016” was organized under the aegis of the Kotatattu Grama Panchayat to mark the birth anniversary of Kota Shivaram Karanth.
The Sports meet began with the State Anthem, Ananda C Kundar honorary president of the Sports meet welcomed the gathering. MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary delivered the introductory remarks.
State Legislative Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy received the guard of honour by the elected representatives from local and urban bodies of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, while Meenakshi Shanthigodu president Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat hoisted the flag. K Jayapraksah Hegde former MP Udupi-Chikkamagaluru released the balloons in the air. The Sports torch was carried from Kotathattu Grama Panchayat to the Vivika Ground by national-level athletes Ashok G V and Praveen Shetty Kukkehalli.
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil officially inaugurated the sports contest “Holapu – 2016” by lighting the lamp.
In his message H K Patil said that the State government was committed to the overall development of the local and urban bodies in the state. The gram panchayats were given more powers by making necessary amendments to the Panchayat Raj Act. The State government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is committed to realising Mahatma’s dream of Gram Swaraj and it has taken steps in achieving it.
The government’s cleanliness drive has been a great success in the past three years during which nearly 25 lakh toilets were constructed in a bid to make Karnataka free of open defecation. We are confident that by 2018 every house in the State would have a toilet which was necessary to eradicate open defecation.
To ensure safe and pure drinking water to the people in the rural areas the government has installed 7,000 drinking water purification units in the state. Many health issues would be solved with the availability of clean drinking water and the State government has been working to facilitate access to clean drinking water. 5,700 out of 6,000 gram panchayats in the state have already come out with the vision for five years under ‘Namma Grama Namma Yojane’ which is uploaded in ‘Panchatantra’ software, he added.
Gopal Poojary MLA Byndoor, Prathapchandra Shetty MLC, Dinakar Babu president Udupi ZP, Sheela K Shetty vice president Udupi ZP, Priyanka Mary Francis CEO Udupi ZP, Raghupathi Bhat former MLA Udupi, Kasthuri Panja vice president DK ZP, Nalini Pradeep Rao president Udupi TP, Kishore Alva of Adani Group, Pramod Hande president Kotathattu Grama Panchayat, Prabhakar Mayya, Subramanya Upadya and others were present.
About 300 gram panchayats, six TPs, two ZPs, three Pattana Panchayats, two CMCs of the twin districts took part in the sports meet. Various sports and cultural events like, 100 mtr race, 200 mtr race, Shot-put, Ring in the wicket, Throw-ball, Tug of War, Super Minute, Singing, Quiz and Fancy dress competitions are being held. More than 5000 participants took part in the competitions.
Later speaking to media persons Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil said Udupi district is one among the seven districts across state that would be declared as open defecation-free on October 2.
Karnataka has taken resolute measures to be declared open defecation-free by October 2018.
“Fifty-five lakh toilets were pending for construction in the past three years. The target was planned accordingly and the annual schedule was put forth. Already, 25 lakh toilets are built, while the target for the current year is another 12 lakh toilets,” said Patil, adding that the review on the progress would be held in December and the target plans would be designed as per requirements. Nearly 26 taluks and more than 1,000 gram panchayats would be declared open defecation-free, as the social auditing and physical verification has been completed.