Minister Pramod playing dirty politics in supply of drinking water – Mattar Rathnakar Hegde
Udupi: The District President of BJP Mattar Rathnakar Hegde alleged that the district minister in-charge Pramod Madhwaraj and the district administration are violating the protocol in holding public functions organised by the district administration and also playing dirty politics in supplying drinking water. He was speaking at a press meet held at the district BJP office Kadiyali on Thursday, May 25.
In Udupi Zilla Panchayat out of the 26 members, 20 members are from the BJP and the Zilla Panchayat is ruled by the BJP administration. 3 Taluk Panchayats, 2 urban local bodies and 70% of the gram panchayats are also ruled by the BJP. As per the government protocol, the district minister in-charge is the inaugurator of any government function and the local MLA will preside over the function. But Minister Pramod Madhwaraj does not follow the protocol. In many instances, Pramod Madhwaraj intentionally did not invite the Zilla panchayat president for public functions. Recently the minister participated in a government programme in the Zilla panchayat president’s constituency and inaugurated the road work without giving any intimation or invitation to the local member. He also alleged that the minister insulted the Zilla panchayat president in a public function.
Ratnakar further said, “First time in the history, Udupi district has been announced as a drought-hit district in the state. The Union government has formed a special task force in every district for the proper supply of drinking water and the Union government is funding the task force. In Udupi constituency, the sad part is that the district minister in-charge has displayed only his photo on the water tankers which is condemnable. The District Minister in-charge should stop this type of dirty politics in the supply of drinking water”, he said.
Minister Pramod Madhwaraj conducting Jansamparka meetings in every gram panchayat and Udupi city municipality limits of his constituency is appreciated. But he is not inviting local members if they are from the BJP. If the BJP members participate, the minister insults them in front of the Congress members which should be stopped, he added.
Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) has failed to solve the drinking water scarcity in the city. Many areas are facing water scarcity. Many private drinking water tanker owners are making money by supplying water to the people. Though there was a shortage of water in the city every year. This year, the drinking water problem is severe. The CMC should have plugged the leakages at the Baje Dam across the Swarna River, from where water is being supplied to the city. Pramod Madhwaraj had promised to get water from the Varahi River to solve the drinking water crisis. But so far that assurance has not materialised.
In the state, many projects are under progress with the Union and State government have jointly funded. The Union government has released Rs 52 crores CRF fund to Udupi constituency. The Union government has sanctioned Saksi, a one-stop programme for women in distress, to the district. The programme has been especially sanctioned to the district. Udupi will act as the centre of activities for all the districts in the state. The inauguration of the center will be planned in July by Union minister Menaka Gandhi, he added.
Rs 200.92 crores has been sanctioned for the National Highway work, Rs 10 crore for State fisheries development board which is under process in Alevoor, Udupi at a cost of Rs 62 Crores. A sum of Rs 20 crores has been sanctioned for the development works of Gangolli and Kodi Kanyana ports and other works which are under progress in the district, he said.
Raghupathi Bhat former MLA, Kota Shrinivas Poojary MLC, Kuthayaru Naveen Shetty General Secretary, Katapadi Shanker Poojary, Shreesha Nayak, K Suresh Nayak were present in the press meet.