Development works hit with no funds from the government, says Vedavyasa Kamath

Mangaluru MLA D. Vedavyasa Kamath says development works stalled due to lack of funds. Funds for projects like Jalasiri, UGD renewal, storm-water drainage renewal, and Mahatma Gandhi Nagara Vikas Scheme stopped. Sand extraction from rivers in CRZ delayed, causing difficulty for construction sector. Dialysis machines at District Government Wenlock Hospital need replacing. Scholarships for SC/ST, backward classes delayed. Shram Shakthi Loan Scheme for self-employment selected only 8 out of 1,728 applicants.

Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyasa Kamath on Friday, November 3, said development works in the city had been affected with the government not releasing funds for the already sanctioned projects.

Let alone sanctioning new projects, the Congress government had stopped funds release for the ongoing works, thereby inconveniencing the general public, he told reporters here. Though he had got about ₹4,500 crore sanctioned for the constituency in the previous government, many works, including Jalasiri, underground drainage renewal, and road renewal works, were hit, he said.

Works under the ₹125-crore Mahatma Gandhi Nagara Vikas Scheme sanctioned by the then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa have stopped midway while the ₹792 crore Jalasiri, round-the-clock water supply, had almost come to a halt. The ₹200-crore UGD renewal through the Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Management Project was no exception and so was ₹20-crore storm-water drainage renewal work.

“We understand the difficulty of the government to sanction new projects as it has to fulfil the poll promises. However, the government should not have stalled the ongoing works,” the MLA regretted.

Sand availability

Mr. Kamath alleged that the government was dragging its feet on the resumption of traditional sand extraction from rivers in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). Despite the Dakshina Kannada district administration submitting a recommendation to recommence sand extraction from identified sand dunes, the Karnataka Coastal Zone Management Authority did not hold a meeting to process the recommendation.

Consequently, sand availability in the city had become an issue with the construction sector facing difficulty, he rued. Thousands of construction workers too were affected while individuals were forced to buy sand by paying hefty prices.