Tri-monthly Karnataka Development Programme-Feb 23 2015

SORAKE SEEKS REPORT ON DAMAGE TO MATTU GULLA CROP

Vinay Kumar Sorake, Urban Development Minister, on Monday directed officials to take immediate action regarding the damage to mattu gulla crop in and around Mattu due to saline water flooding the fields. He was chairing the tri-monthly Karnataka Development Programme meeting here.

Mr. Sorake directed the officials of the Horticulture Department to immediately respond to the farmers’ losses. He also directed them to prepare a report on the damage to the mattu gulla crop. He also sought details of other crop that were destroyed due to the flooding of fields in Katapady and Hiriyadka villages.

K.A. Vijaykumar, Joint Director of Horticulture, said that 16.20 acres of land with the mattu gulla crop, belonging to 20 farmers, had been destroyed due to sea water flooding the fields during high tide. The department had currently estimated the loss suffered at Rs. 26 lakh, he said.

Mr. Sorake said that water scarcity was likely in some places during the summer months in the district. Even permanent sources of water are shrinking during the summer. Hence, officials should come up with alternative solutions to deal with drinking water problems.

He said the district administration had prepared an action plan of Rs. 690 crore to provide permanent drinking water facilities in the rural areas of the district and this would be submitted to the State government shortly.

The Varahi Irrigation Project work was progressing smoothly and only two kilometres of canal work needed to be completed. This was expected to be completed by the end of March and water would flow through the canals in April, he said.

R. Vishal, Deputy Commissioner, said all problems relating to the Forest and Revenue Departments with regard to the Varahi Irrigation Project had been solved.

Mr. Sorake said that an amount of Rs. 80 crore had been released for the development of Udupi under the Asian Development Bank Scheme. A study was being conducted to provide drinking water facilities throughout the district till 2040.

He said that the State government had submitted a proposal to the Centre to give Udupi the ‘Heritage Town’ tag but it was given to Badami. The department would send a proposal to the Centre to include Udupi in the list of smart cities. Mr. Sorake directed the officials to utilise all the funds allotted to their departments by March 9.

Newshub/24 February 2015

https://in.newshub.org/sorake-seeks-report-on-damage-to-mattu-gulla-crop-12346331.html

SAVING KAMBALA - CM Siddaramaiah extends wholehearted support to Kambala

Udupi: CM Siddaramaiah extends wholehearted support to Kambala

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi/Bengaluru (SP)

Udupi/Bengaluru, Feb 19: "The state government has nothing against the continuance of Kambala, a rural sport that is organized as per traditions. I have personally watched Kambalas. This is a sport that does not deserve to be banned. At the same time, the government is unable to intervene now in the issue as the matter is before the courts," Karnataka chief minister, Siddaramaiah, told a delegation of Kambala Samiti from undivided Dakshina Kannada district which met him recently at Bengaluru.

 

The delegation had met the CM to request him to contribute towards doing away with the tricky situation Kambala is facing currently. The CM told the delegation that the government's stand in this issue is clear.

"This is a sport in which farmers are engaged in. If Kambala is banned, even conducting agricultural activities may suffer in future. It would not be wise to ban Kambala in the guise of violence on animals," he said.

He also promised the delegation that if necessary, suitable laws would be framed to assist continuance of Kambala. He explained that report would be prepared by experts in the field and submitted to the court and the central government towards ensuring that this folk sport lives on.

The delegation also met law minister, T B Jayachandra, and discussed the issue with him. "Already district in-charge ministers of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, Vinay Kumar Sorake and B Ramanath Rai, have provided me with detailed picture about what is bothering Kambala now. Overlooking party affiliations, all the legislators from Karnataka coast have vehemently opposed the proposal to ban Kambala. We are with you. We will form committee of experts on the issue and get a report. If necessary, we are also prepared to hold discussions with Animal Welfare Board on this issue," he promised.

In addition to Ramanath Rai and Sorake, the delegation comprised of health minister, U T Khadar, minister of sports, Abhaychandra Jain, legislators, Vasant Bangera, Mohiuddin Bava, Kambala Samiti president, Bhaskar Kotian, several members of the committees and dignitaries.

Yadgir Urban Development Authority inaugurated

THE HINDU - YADGIR, February 17, 2015

Minister for Urban Development Vinay Kumar Sorake has inaugurated the newly-declared Yadgir Urban Development Authority here on Monday. The Town Planning Authority, working since 1996, will now be recast as Yadgir Urban Development Authority. While responding to the memorandum submitted by the CMC President Suresh Kotimani and other members requesting the release of more grants, Mr. Sorake said that the other facilities, including appointing a commissioner for the authority and releasing grants to take up development works, as per the provisions, would be provided.

"All other illegal occupancies would strictly be cleared, however mighty the encroacher is.” Raichur DC office Review ….

THE HINDU - RAICHUR, February 17, 2015

Raichur CMC THECommissioner asked to update the Minister

Responding to the alleged large-scale encroachment of the trench around the historic Raichur fort and other areas in the city, Minister for Urban Development Vinay Kumar Sorake said that the State government has a zero-tolerance policy on encroachments.

He was speaking to media representatives after holding a meeting for reviewing the progress of various projects in his department at the office of Deputy Commissioner here on Monday. “The government has come up with the Akrama Sakrama scheme for reasonable encroachment of government land. As much as 50 per cent of encroachment for residential purpose and 25 per cent for commercial purposes would be regularised under the scheme. All other illegal occupancies would strictly be cleared, however mighty the encroacher is,” he declared.

During the review meeting, Minister of State for Medical Education and Raichur in-charge Sharan Prakash Patil reprimanded the Raichur City Municipal Council Commissioner G. Ramadas for not taking any action to clear these illegal occupancies. “You need not take anybody’s permission for clearing the encroachment on government land. Without clearing these, many civic projects, including roads, underground drainage system and drinking water supply cannot be implemented,” he said. He instructed the officer to update him within three days on the process initiated.

Mr. Sorake said that the Urban Development Authority seemed have forgotten its duty. Several shortcomings, inefficiencies and pointless delays in implementing developmental projects were found in the review.

When asked about upgrading larger village to town panchayats, the Minister clarified that all the villages with a population of over 15,000 having over 50 per cent of its activity as non-agricultural would be converted into town panchayats.

Foundation stone for 24x7 drinking water supply project laid down in Raichur

THE HINDU - RAICHUR, February 16, 2015

The long pending demand for providing round-the-clock drinking water to Raichur city gained momentum with Minister For Urban Development Vinay Kumar Sorake laying down foundation stone for the project here on Monday.

Rs. 117 crore project is being implemented under Asian Development Bank (ADB), and is estimated to come up within 2.5 years. As per the agreement, a Gurgaon-based company, which had bagged the contract, would have to maintain the project for another 5 years after the completion.

The project includes a jackwell, 11 kms rising-main (main water-supply pipe of 800 mm diameter), purification plant and water distribution network in the city. Raichur city's current consumption of drinking water is 35 million litres per day (MLD) and the project is designed to supply 45 MLD taking into account the increase in consumption in the next ten years. The existing water supply system would completely be replaced by the new project with new machinery, equipments and other materials.

Meanwhile, the minister also announced that a project of implementing Underground Drainage System would soon be implemented at the cost of Rs. 62 crores in the city.

“We have also allocated Rs. 2.24 crores for developing Aam Talab lake. A proposal to develop five slums in the city has been sent to Union Government seeking financial assistance of Rs. 38.25 crores under Rajiv Awas Yojana,” he said.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/drinking-water-crisis-in-raichur-district/article5957148.ece

POURAKARMIKAS SERVICES REGULARISED.

The City corporation officials have been directed to prepare a note on how to regularise their services and payment of pending wages for 48 months.

Victory for Kalaburagi pourakarmikas

Pourakarmikas working on daily wages in Kalaburagi City Corporation scored a major victory in their long-drawn struggle for regularisation of their services. Urban Development Minister Vinaykumar Sorake directed the City Corporation officials to prepare a note on how to regularise their services and payment of pending wages for 48 months.

Former Minister S.K. Kanta and Karnataka Pranta Raita Sangha (KPRS) president Maruti Manpade represented the pourakarmikas in a meeting convened by Mr. Sorake in Bengaluru on Friday, along with the Municipal Administration and Minority Affairs Minister Qamarul Islam, Commissioner of Kalaburagi City Corporation Shrikant Kattimani and other officials.

Mr. Kanta said during the meeting, that documents indicating that pourakarmikas executed the work of permanent employees were submitted to the Minister. An order passed by the High Court upholding the stand of the pourakarmikas that they were daily-wage earners was also submitted in the meeting.

The city corporation authorities also agreed to pay Rs. 1 lakh as compensation to family members of pourakarmika Ningamma, who had died on January 15.

Mr. Manpade said that he, along with Mr. Kanta, later met Home Minister K.J. George and submitted a memorandum seeking disciplinary action against the Circle Inspector attached to the Brahmpur Police Station who had reportedly ordered lathi charge on the pourakarmikas staging a dharna.

The pourakarmikas took out a “victory” procession in Kalaburagi on Saturday morning. They said the city corporation should take a sympathetic approach towards pourakarmikas working on daily wages and try to find a permanent solution.

THE HINDU - January 24, 2015 18:39 IST

AKRAMA-SAKRAMA SCHEME TO BE IMPLEMENTED WITHIN A MONTH.

Karnataka assures to implement akrama-sakrama scheme within a month.

BENGALURU: The state government on Tuesday assured that the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Regularization of Unauthorized Development or Construction) Rules, 2013, otherwise called akrama-sakrama would be implemented at the earliest. 

Soon after the Karnataka high court dismissed old batch of petitions challenging the 2007 rules, urban development minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, who piloted the Bill, told TOI that the government was planning to file a caveat in the court which has given the petitioners liberty to file fresh petitions on 2013 rules if they choose. 

"Within a month, we would like to implement the scheme. An intensive training programme for the concerned staff would be given on pros and cons of implementing the scheme," the minister said. To ensure effective implementation of the scheme the competent authority (BBMP in case of Bengaluru city) would conduct orientation training for officers and staff to be assigned with the work of scrutiny of application. 

"The competent authority will set up adequate number of receiving centres at various locations within its jurisdiction to receive application pertaining to the scheme. The authority can also make necessary arrangements for filing online application for regularization by self declaration," Sorake said.

Anil Kumar M,TNN | Feb 3, 2015, 08.48 PM IST

SHUN KASTURIRANGAN REPORT, LEADERS URGE GOVT

Committee to visit Udupi on February 25

The hindu - UDUPI, February 5, 2015

The State Cabinet Sub-Committee to study the recommendations of the K. Kasturirangan Panel Report on Conservation of Western Ghats would be visiting Udupi at 3 p.m. on February 25.

An official press release issued here on Wednesday said that the Sub-Committee comprises of Forests and Environment Minister B. Ramanath Rai, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra and Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake.

The Committee would be hold a meeting on the issue with the MPs, MLAs, MLCs, president and members of zilla panchayat, presidents and members of taluk panchayats as well as presidents and members of gram panchayats here. Representatives of voluntary organisations and others could attend it and submit their petitions to the Cabinet Sub-Committee, the release added.

It will hold a meeting on Kasturirangan report

  

Madikeri, Jan 31, 2015, DHNS:

Call to prepare map, mark boundary of Western Ghats

Majority of elected representatives and public of Kodagu District have urged the State government not to implement the recommendations of the  Kasturirangan committee report on the conservation of Western Ghats.

Members of Cabinet subcommittee, comprising Minister for Forest Ramanath Rai, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T B Jayachandra, Cooperation Minister H S Mahadevaprasad. 

Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande and Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake formed by the State government to look into the recommendations made by the panel, held consultations with the elected representatives and the public here on Saturday in this regard. When the environmentalists wanted to make their point, the public opposed them.

Realising the gravity of the situation, Minister Rai asked them to send their opinion in writing to the committee.  

Former MLC A K Subbaiah said that there is no clear cut idea on Western Ghats jurisdiction. The boundary has not been identified. In this background, the identification of natural landscape and cultural landscape by Kasturirangan committee report is unscientific. 

How could the committee could identify 1,555 villages as ecologically sensitive areas (ESA)when we have failed to identify the border of Western Ghats. 

“We have no objection if the recommendations are implemented on natural landscape area alone. If it is implemented on cultural landscape, then it will affect the life of people.”  He said the State government should first mark the jurisdiction and boundary of the Western Ghats and prepare a map on the same. The Forest laws are strong enough to conserve Western Ghats, he added.

MLA K G Bopaiah said that the district forest department officials were responsible for including Bhagamandala, Talacauvery, Jenukallu Betta in ESA limits. No survey was conducted. 

Former MLC M C Nanaiah said that the private land coming under ESA should be dropped. The ESAs should be restricted to restricted forest, National Park and already identified protected forest. 

The members of the public said that if the recommendations of the report is implemented and quarry is prohibited in the district, then it will affect the development works. 

Speaking to mediapersons, Cabinet Sub committee Chairman Ramanath Rai said that the committee has already visited eight districts to collect public opinion. After collecting opinion from all the ten districts, the compiled report will be submitted to the Cabinet and later will be sent to the Central government by April 15. 

“We want to conserve environment. Along with the conservation of environment, the life of local residents is also important. The central government will take a final call on the recommendations.”