District Administration's decision to construct a wet-well for pumping out city's sewage at the site in IDSMT Layout, off Mantralaya Road, left Umashree, Minister for Women and Child Development fuming. The minister had clearly directed the Deputy Commissioner (DC) not to use the site that belonged to her department for lifting sewage as it could spoil the premises which was intended to be utilised for the building a Balamandir for children.
During a Kalaburagi Divisional level meeting for reviewing the developmental works and welfare programmes of her department, held at Zilla Panchayat conference hall, here on Thursday, she was told by officers that the DC would arrange an alternative land outside the city for Balamandir as the proposed site was taken for wet-well. She immediately remembered her earlier directions and said that she would not give the site for wet-well. When the officers replied that the construction of wet-well was already underway, she got enraged.
“How did you proceed defying my directions? We cannot give our own site in the middle of the city for sewage lifting and build a Balamandir 20 km away from the city,” she said.
Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) M. Kurma Rao intervened and tried to justify district administration's decision by stating that the wet-well was a part of underground drainage system being implemented in the city and site for the same was finalised after considering several feasibility factors. The minister, however, concluded the issue by saying that she would later hold a meeting with DC and CEO exclusively for discussing the issue. S. Sasikanth Senthil, DC, was not present during the meeting.
Ms. Umashree also expressed dissatisfaction over the poor progress in organising Mahila Grama Sabhe twice a year at each Gram Panchayat in the district.
“The very purpose of holding Mahila Grama Sabhe is to provide an opportunity to women to express themselves freely in the absence of men. It is an opportunity also for officers to know the women's issues and grievances and take steps to address them. You have conducted such meetings only at 80 Gram Panchayats out of 180 in the last year. The purpose cannot be served until the Zilla Panchayat takes it seriously,” she said.
