Absenteeism continues to mar KDP meet

[email protected] (CD Network,Photos by Savitha B R)
August 11, 2011

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Mangalore, August 11: As many as 42 officials of various departments were absent for the monthly Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meet held at the Zilla Panchayat office here on Thursday.

Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Dr. K N Vijayaprakash ordered the absentees to produce a show-cause for their absence. The absence of officials has plagued the KDP monthly meetings for quite some time now.

Questioning officials about pending works under the 2008-09 Indira Avaas Yojana, Mr Vijayaprakash instructed them to complete the projects without further delay or face serious action. In Puttur out of the 238 houses sanctioned 237 were complete while in Bantwal 70 houses were still pending.

Deputy Director of Women and Children Welfare Department informed in the meeting that the payment of salary, grant for the month of July was still pending.

She also informed the CEO that the construction of Anganawadi centres was still under progress. According to the maintenance report of the DK ZP, Rs. 1.75 lakhs were allotted to an Anganawadi centre in Mandekol village in Sullia taluk in a span of two years and it was still under construction.

The inquiries of the CEO about the activities of various development programmes handled by different departments were often met by answers ranging from the “lack of personnel” to “lack of information”.

Some of the queries went unanswered due to the absence of officials.

Replying to a question from the CEO for not achieving the expected rate for immunication, officials from Health and Family Welfare department said that the decrease in birth rates was the major reason for a visibly bad record. They also informed that the infant mortality rate is 13 for every 1000 births while the maternal mortality rate was 93 for 100000 women.

Officials said that 16 cases of filaria have been discovered in the district especially in coastal areas. Even though filarial vaccinations were mass administered twice a year, lack of civic responsibility in maintaining clean surroundings was the cause for disease. The officials from Kolache Nirmulana Mandali were absent to answer queries.

Dr Vijayaprakash instructed the Deputy Director, Women's Development Corporation to initiate new steps for the development of rural women in line with the developments in the modern world. “Tailoring classes and beauty parlor classes have become too primitive”, he opined.

The discussion on the progress of education took majority of the stipulated time. CEO quizzed the officials as it was found that repair works at 575 Anganawadi buildings across the districts were pending.

A suggestion was also floated to provide caste certificates to SC/ST students at school. It was also recommended that if any SC/ST student quit school, then the school should be held responsible. Officials also answered questions about the progress made by them under the “Marali Baa Shalege” programme.

Officials informed that out of the “known” 63 students who had left school, 58 were encouraged to go back.

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News Network
January 9,2025

Udupi: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a 38-year-old woman from Karkala in Udupi district, has reportedly lost Rs 24 lakh to a digital arrest scam. The victim, Preema Sheril D'Souza, fell prey to a fraudulent scheme orchestrated through fake calls and threats.

According to the complaint filed, the incident unfolded on Tuesday when Preema received a call at 12:30 pm from an individual claiming to represent the Delhi Telecom Department. The caller alleged that another SIM card had been purchased using her Aadhaar number and was being used for illegal activities in Uttar Pradesh, leading to multiple cases being registered against her.

To add credibility to the scam, the caller arranged a video call where a person dressed as a police officer introduced himself as a CBI official. This individual instructed her to cooperate with the "investigation" and warned her not to disclose the matter to anyone. The scammer also issued threats, claiming that harm would come to her husband and child if she failed to comply.

Under duress, Preema was coerced into sharing her bank account details and transferring a staggering Rs 24 lakh to accounts specified by the fraudsters. She transferred Rs 14 lakh to an account in Federal Bank and Rs 10 lakh to an account in Yes Bank via RTGS from her Fixed Deposit account. The threats of an arrest warrant further pressured her into complying with the scammers' demands.

Upon realizing the fraud, she reported the incident to the authorities. A case has since been registered at the Karkala Rural Police Station, and investigations are underway.

This incident serves as a critical reminder to stay vigilant against such scams. Individuals are advised to verify the identity of callers and refrain from sharing sensitive information or transferring money without proper authentication. If you encounter similar fraudulent activities, report them immediately to the police or cybercrime cell.

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News Network
January 4,2025

Mangaluru: In a shocking case of fraud, six individuals posing as officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) swindled a beedi businessman of Rs 25 to 30 lakh in cash and five mobile phones at Kolnad in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada on Friday night.

The incident came to light after Mohammed Iqbal, 27, lodged a complaint with the police, stating that his father, a beedi trader, was targeted by the imposters.

According to the complaint, the six accused arrived at the businessman’s residence around 8:10 pm in a car with Tamil Nadu registration plates. Claiming to be ED officials, they announced that they had orders to search the house and began confiscating mobile phones from the family members.

The fraudsters reportedly discovered Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh in cash, which the businessman had kept aside for business purposes. They claimed that keeping such a large amount was illegal and threatened to arrest him unless he complied. By 10:30 pm, the group left the house, instructing the businessman to submit documents at the ED office in Bengaluru to reclaim the money.

Later, upon discussing the incident with his family, Iqbal realized that the individuals were not ED officials but fraudsters who had impersonated authorities to rob them.

A case has been registered at Vittal Police Station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. An investigation is underway, and the police have promised swift action to apprehend the culprits.

Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Yathish N, along with senior officers, visited the crime scene and assured the family that the perpetrators would be brought to justice at the earliest.

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News Network
January 3,2025

Mangaluru: The long-awaited DC office complex in Padil is nearing completion, with plans underway to inaugurate the facility during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s visit to Mangaluru for the State Olympics meet on January 17. Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker U T Khader inspected the site and emphasized the urgency of completing the ₹75 crore project within the set deadline.

“We aim to finish the work by January 10 so that the inauguration can align with the Chief Minister’s visit. However, the final decision will depend on the project’s readiness by then,” Khader stated during his site inspection.

The ambitious project, reflecting the rich Tulu Nadu heritage in its design, received administrative approval on April 28, 2015. Following delays, the work order was issued on February 3, 2018, and construction began on March 17, 2018. Khader assured that the building's traditional architecture will extend to its surroundings, including an aesthetically designed entrance gate.

Spread across 5.89 acres, the complex boasts a total plinth area of 21,054.88 sq m, encompassing multiple levels:

Basement: 4043.88 sq m
Ground Floor: 7553.36 sq m
First Floor: 4158.94 sq m
Second and Third Floors: 2561.28 sq m each
Roof 1 and 2: 88.07 sq m each

The facility aims to centralize government services by housing most departments—except Revenue and RDPR—under one roof. This initiative, Khader highlighted, will streamline operations, save time, and enhance convenience for both officials and the public.

"Officials have been directed to expedite the remaining work, ensuring its timely completion," he added, reaffirming the government’s commitment to creating a functional and visually iconic administrative hub for the region.

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