The High Court Legal Services Committee, which conducted a Regional Lok Adalat here on Saturday, took exception to the lack of progress achieved in districts with regard to implementation of various programmes, including solid waste management, improving the quality of drinking water, and afforestation.
The committee directed the deputy commissioners to speed up works and attend meetings well prepared to furnish details sought by it.
President of the committee, S.K. Patil, and member A.N. Yellappa Reddy grilled the officials, most of whom fumbled while making their PowerPoint presentations.
Programmes
Mr. Patil and Mr. Reddy sought details from officials on the progress of implementation of programmes involving the clearing of encroachments on tanks, healthcare, greening of parks, development under the Command Area Development Authority, industrial pollution and treatment of effluents, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act and man-elephant conflict, among others.
Mr. Patil took the deputy commissioners of Mysore, Mandya, and Chamarajanagar to task when their presentations did not match the statistics provided to the committee in booklets. Mysore Deputy Commissioner P.S. Vastrad, who assumed charge a few days ago, presented the district profile. He said there had been a rise in the groundwater table, there was more greenery and that work had been taken up to rejuvenate tanks, but Mr. Patil asked him to provide statistics to back his claims. The committee's president asked why only 163 of the 686 parks in the city could be developed, to which Mr. Vastrad said the process of greening all parks would be completed in three years. Mr. Patil expressed dissatisfaction at the tardy progress made in the areas of sanitation under the Mysore City Corporation, construction of community toilets and equipping of health centres.
Mr. Reddy questioned Mandya Deputy Commissioner P.C. Jaffer, who presented his district profile, on segregation and disposal of dry and wet waste. Dr. Jaffer said he would ensure that the process was completed by year-end.The Chief Executive Officer of the Mandya Zilla Panchayat was also questioned by committee members on the progress of schemes under the MNREGA. Mr. Reddy directed the officials to take steps to ban the use of chemicals in the manufacture of jaggery. Mr. Patil said a survey should be ordered on whether the process had affected public health or not.
Next was the turn of Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner, Amaranarayan, who was told by Mr. Patil that the progress of solid waste management, electrification and safe drinking water supply initiatives were not up to the mark.
Mr. Amarnarayana said that thanks to the Lok Adalat, the Government had sanctioned Rs. 260 crore to initiate drinking water projects in 297 villages in the district. His was the first district to acquire 25 acres for an elephant corridor to facilitate movement of the animals without clashing with humans. The process was on to acquire another 15 acres, to allow the movement of elephants.
The deputy commissioners of Hassan, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikmagalur also presented their respective district profiles to the committee.
