Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (SM)

Udupi, Jul 29: The problems which figured prominently in the general body meeting of City Municipal Council were malaria and the utility of solid waste in the City Municipal Council meeting (CMC) here on Saturday July 28.

Raising the issue, Dinakar Shetty, councilor, said that malaria is an existing problem in the district, but at places it is ignored by the officials despite repeated complaints. He urged the CMC to take up fogging in the affected areas to check the menace of mosquitoes.

The CMC president Kiran Kumar said that the Council will take action against the officials if the matter was taken lightly. Fogging will be done where ever required without fail. Intervening, CMC Commissioner Gokuldas Nayak said that fogging would be taken up in the affected areas. “Teams from the Health Department are visiting workers’ colonies and administering medicine to them to prevent the spread of malaria,” he said.

Member Mahesh Takur expressed concern about wastage collection on vacant sites which creates problem for neighboring houses and also causes malaria. CMC president said that after finding out the identity of owners of such lands, notices will be issued.

Kumar said that the CMC wants to utilize the solid waste effectively in the city and is planning to produce electricity from solid waste. He said that Udupi CMC has won the ‘Green Leaf Award’ for effective disposal of waste. “The CMC has already started door-to-door collection of waste from houses in a few wards. The CMC is not getting co-operation from the public for cent per cent management of solid waste,” he added.

Councilor Jayanath said migrant workers were staying in huts in areas without any access to toilet facility which has created health problems for the local people.
Kumar answered that this will be done soon and many huts were coming up in the city near NH 66 Nitoor which gives a bad image to the city.

Councilor Amrita Krishnamurthy said Kinnimulki has no bus stop facility for Udupi–Mangalore buses. RTO officials said that this it will be built as soon as the place gets confirmed.

Members brought the CMC’s attention to the escalation of illegal advertisement hoardings on the road side along the Manipal stretch. The CMC president said that a meeting of the advertisers will be convened and all related issues will be discussed. “Whoever fails to attend the meet, their names will be removed from the list of advertisers,” he said.

Raising the issue, councilor Mohan Upadhyaya said that illegal auto rickshaw stands were mushrooming in the town. “There are five rickshaw stands around the service and city bus stands. While the CMC was taking stern action in clearing mobile shops, action was not taken against illegal auto rickshaw stands,” he added.
The matter of the poor condition of roads in the city dominated the general body meeting.

Councilor Sumitra Nayak said that roads in Parkala ward were full of potholes. “The CMC should conduct a survey of such roads and formulate an action plan to repair them,” he added.

Councilor S P Kudva said humps between roads is necessary to control accidents. RTO officer Ramesh said that humps will be built soon as the process is going on but only at the intersections and not on straight roads.