Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiword Media Network – Udupi (EP)

Udupi, Aug 13: The state urban development and district in charge minister, Vinay Kumar Sorake has said that preparations for second stage of work related to Kudcemp project are in progress. The work involves four cities in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district consisting of Udupi, Kundapur, Mangalore and Puttur, taken up with ADB loan of Rs 450 crore.

He was speaking at a press meet called after a KDP meet held at Udupi zilla panchayat hall at Manipal. The work related to the first stage of the project having been completed, the plans for the second stage of work is in progress, he said.

The plan of upgrading state highway of Hiriadka – Agumbe - Shimoga as national highway has been sent to the central government. The matter will be discussed with minister of national highways, Oscar Fernandes, he said.

The widening process of Agumbe hills in Shimoga is in progress. The proposition regarding widening it in our part of the district has been sent to the central government. Transport facilities between Udupi – Chikmagalur – Shimoga are likely to improve and conveyance to and from Mangalore airport will be all the more convenient, after the work, he said.

It has been decided to send a proposal of Rs 3 crore for the maintenance of fisheries road. An amount of Rs 1.5 crore from district commissioner’s natural calamities fund will also be spent for the purpose, he added.

The contractor is entrusted with the responsibility of repairs to damaged portion of national highways 66 and the potholes in the remaining portion are being covered.

Demand of sites for houses: Sorake continued to say that the meeting discussed about distribution of land among the poor and it was decided to allot the land that is left vacant for a long time by those who obtained it earlier by gathering the details of such plots. The officials were directed to identify such places, he said.

The rain has destroyed crops in an area of 64.35 hectares, the government has been requested to provide compensation to farmers like the way it is being distributed in other parts of the state. The government is also urged to compensate for loss and subsidy due to worm diseases to the plantations.

Families who have been issued with APL ration cards despite being eligible for BPL cards will be identified and such anomalies will be rectified, he said.

It has been decided to write to the central government requesting to include the area of CRZ 1 in Udupi sea shore in CRZ 3.

The government has a proposal to grant 2.76 acres of land for KSRTC for bus stand. A plan worth Rs 43 crore is prepared for drinking water project.

Varahi Project: It has been suggested to implement a ten years old project to distribute Varahi river water to Udupi and Kundapur areas. It has also been planned to distribute the river water to Saligrama area.

Problems relating to the forests that kept the project pending for more than three decades will be sorted out by discussions with minister Ramanath Rai, he said.

Udupi is likely to be named as a heritage town by promoting tourism in the area, he said.

Deputy commissioner Dr M T Reju and ZP CEO Prabhakar Sharma were present at the meeting.