‘80% Mangalureans are non-vegetarians; don’t they deserve hygienic food?’

coastaldigest.com news network

October 8, 2018

Mangaluru, Oct 8: Hitting out at the local leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party for misleading people, District in-charge minister U T Khader has dared them to write to the Centre to keep slaughterhouse away from smart city project instead of sensationalising issue for political gains.

The minister’s remarks come in response to bizarre allegations made by Nalin Kumar Kateel and Shobha Karandlaje, the MPs of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi constituencies respectively and other BJP leaders that Rs 15 crore of the fund released for the Smart City project has been diverted towards the slaughterhouse in Kudroli.

“I know that some elected representatives mislead people for political gains. But, they should not stoop to this level,” Mr Khader said, adding that his job in the Mangaluru Smart City Ltd (a special purpose vehicle set up for the implementation of Smart City project) is only to make suggestions and the final decisions rest with a 15-member board of the SPV.

The decisions are taken by the board of the SPV which consists of MD & Chairman (Mohammed Nazeer), Manguluru mayor (Bhaskar Moily), four corporators, seven IAS officers, along with the leader of the opposition in the council (BJP's Premananda Shetty).

“MD and a board of secretaries they have the final decision. In a smart city, good health of citizens is of a primary concern which comes as a result of hygiene which is a goal of the Central government's Swachh Bharat plan,” he said.

"The slaughterhouse is an official one. When BJP was in power in MCC, their people ran the same Kudroli slaughterhouse for one whole year (2011). During that time, they only had been demanding better facilities of at the slaughterhouse,” he added.

He also said that almost 80 per cent population of Mangaluru consumes meat and it is responsibility of the government to make sure that they get hygienic food. “You eat meat. But if you visit the current slaughterhouse you may never eat again. Such is the situation there. Hence, I made a suggestion that funds should be allocated for the slaughterhouse," Khader said. “Don’t non-vegetarians in Mangaluru deserve hygienic food?” he questioned.

“Along with the suggestion to provide funds for the abattoir, I made several other suggestions to include hospitals, smart highways etc. A huge chunk of funds – about Rs 900 crore – was set aside for beautifying the city and upgrading infrastructure. An amount of Rs 30 crore has been set aside for developing a road underbridge near Mahakali Padpu. Other projects being planned under Smart City include developing a model road near Kadri Park (Rs 12 cr), and an indoor Kabbadi stadium in Urwa market (Rs 10 crore). The multi-level parking (Rs 94 cr), Central Market (Rs 145 cr) and inter-city bus stand (Rs 500 crore) are being planned under PPP (public, private partnership) model,” he said.

It is an issue of hygiene so that waste material from the slaughtered animals is disposed of properly and does not reach the groundwater and rivers and pollute them, Khader said.

The Congress leader said the leader of the opposition in the council Premananda Shetty was also present when I made the suggestion but nobody objected. They're just politicising a trivial matter, he said.

“If the BJP leaders still feel that spending money for slaughterhouse is wrong, they can write to the Centre and convince it to keep it out of Smart City project,” he said.

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bloody first finish the flyover in pumpwell ... nalin.. dont talk like an ***,,,,,

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‘Have letter, next step is...’: MUDA on Siddaramaiah’s wife’s offer to return plots

News Network

October 1,2024

Mysuru: The Mysuru land authority at the centre of a financial and political storm - involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and alleged losses of ₹ 45 crore to the state - has received an offer of restitution from his wife, the urban development body's Commissioner, AN Raghunandan said.

"I am in possession of a letter written by Siddaramaiah's wife regarding her intention to return 14 plots (of land). The Chief Minister's son, Yatindra Siddaramaiah, came to our office and delivered the letter. We will take legal advice for the next step..." he told reporters in Mysuru.

Mr Raghunandan also confirmed anti-corruption officials from the city's Lokayukta branch had written seeking cooperation in its inquiry into the charges against the Chief Minister.

He said the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, or MUDA, "will cooperate with the investigation".

The Enforcement Directorate, however, have not reached out as yet, Mr Raghunandan said. The ED, a federal agency, has filed a money laundering case against Siddaramaiah.

There have also been calls for the CBI, another federal agency, to investigate charges against the Chief Minister, but that appears unlikely now given the Karnataka government has withdrawn general consent for its operations in the state. Law Minister HK Patil made the announcement last week.

He ruled out any link with demands for the Chief Minister to be investigated by the CBI, which reports to the BJP-led central government and the ruling Congress and other opposition parties have claimed is being used by that party to target rival leaders, particularly before elections.

On Monday - three days after the Lokayukta filed a case against the Chief Minister, and hours after the ED launched its probe- Siddaramaiah's wife said she had planned to give up the land earlier but was advised against it the allegations against her husband are "politically motivated".

But now, she said, she had made up her mind as "no house, plot, or wealth is more important than my husband's honor, dignity, and peace of mind". She also said the decision was hers alone; "... I am not aware of my husband's opinion on this matter, nor do I concern myself with what my son thinks".

And, in a comment seen as a calculated swipe at the opposition BJP, which is leading calls for the Chief Minister's resignation, his wife also made an emotional appeal to "all political parties and the media" to "please not drag women of political families into the controversy to settle political scores".

Investigative action against the Chief Minister follows the Karnataka High Court quashing a challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's order sanctioning Siddaramaiah's prosecution.

Subsequently a trial court ordered framing of charges and directed the Lokayukta to complete the investigation within three months. The ED case was filed based on the Lokayukta FIR.

Siddaramaiah faces an inquiry into claims Parvathi was allotted 14 plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere - holding a far lower value - taken for infrastructure projects.

The Chief Minister has denied all charges and refused calls to resign.

He has been backed by the Congress and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the state unit boss, and also by members of his cabinet, including IT Minister Priyank Kharge. However, some within the Congress also want him to quit, such as former Assembly Speaker KB Koliwad.

"I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally," he said last week after the High Court had quashed his challenge to the Governor's sanction.

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