Moodbidri MLA walks out of KDP meeting in M’luru

Moodbidri BJP MLA Umanath Kotian accused a government officer of behaving arrogantly and boycotted the quarterly KDP meeting held at Nethravathi Hall in DK Zilla Panchayat office on Monday.

The meeting was organised under the chairmanship of District In-Charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary.

As soon as the meeting began, the MLA accused the government officer of being arrogant and rude to him.

“I am hurt by the incident and I will move a privilege motion against the officer in both the houses of the Legislature,” he declared while demanding action against the officer.

When asked to name the officer, Kotian said it was Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Ajith Kumar Hegde.

The minister in turn directed the Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh to serve a notice and to seek explanation from Hegde.

Not satisfied with the answer, the MLA walked out of the meeting hall in a huff.

Later, Poojary directed the deputy commissioner to recommend to the state government to initiate action on the grounds of officer’s (Hegde) indecent behaviour and irresponsible attitude.

The MCC commissioner, however, explained that he had visited Moodushedde to inspect a polluted well when the MLA called him and had talked to him in a raised voice. Hegde said the MLA did not even allow him to speak.

“I will give an explanation in writing,” he added.

Paschmina Vahini

An officer from Minor Irrigation department said that 11 vented dam works, at an estimated cost of Rs 265 crore, were sanctioned under Paschmina Vahini scheme in the district.

The work on four vented dams will be completed by May. The remaining works will be completed by March 2021. The tender for vented dam-cum-barrage at Harekala, to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 174 crore, has been entrusted to a firm owned by entrepreneur G Shankar.

The estimate for the vented dam at Biliyooru in Bantwal has been sent to the government for approval. The vented dam at Brahmasthana Katte in Niddodi has been completed, the officer added.

Zilla Panchayaat Vice President Kasturi Panja said after the construction of vented dam at Malavoor, the farmland in Adyapadi and Moodushedde would be inundated if the region receives heavy rain.

Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Dr Selvamani said that NITK retired professor Prof S G Mayya has visited the spot and had sought details on toposheet map of the dam area. The report from the expert is awaited.

The Poojary in turn asked the deputy commissioner to convene a meeting with the authorities concerned within a week.

Meeting after 15 months

The quarterly KDP meeting was held after 15 months. The previous meeting was held on September 26, 2018.