Nod sought for concrete road in naxal-hit Kabbibale

Elected representatives vented their anger at the Kudremukh Wildlife Division based in Karkala for not permitting construction of a concrete road in the naxal-affected Kabbinale village, at the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) review meeting on Monday.

Gopal Poojary, Byndoor MLA, said that he had made several requests to Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Kudremukh Wildlife Division, to permit the construction of a 2-km long concrete road in Kabinale village. It was one of the long-pending demands of the people of the village. The people were so upset by the delay that they kept cursing the elected representatives.

The government had sanctioned Rs. 4 crore for the purpose. But the official was not giving permission citing various reasons, he said. The MLA produced a letter where a DCF in Chikkamagaluru district had sanctioned such a road in that district. “When the DCF in Chikkamagaluru can allow it, why the DCF here does not allow it?” he asked.

Mr. Poojary said that the amount would lapse if permission was not given. The DCF should realise that Kabbinale was a naxal-affected village.

The government was giving priority to providing basic facilities in such villages. “If you keep objecting needlessly, how will we develop them?” Mr. Poojary asked. Pratapchandra Shetty, Kota Srinivas Poojary, MLCs, backed Mr. Poojary.

Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Services and Sports, who was chairing the meeting, asked if the wildlife division wanted the people to embrace Naxalism.

When the DCF said that rules permitted the repair of the road but not changing nature of the road from tar to concrete, Mr. Poojary said that a tar road could not sustain the heavy rains during monsoon in the Western Ghats.

Hence, there was demand for a concrete road, which could withstand the rain, he said.

Mr. Madhwaraj directed the DCF to visit the spot and understand the problems of the people.

The DCF said that the contractor could apply for the road online as per procedure. Maheshwar Rao, Secretary in charge of Udupi district, said that he would consult the departments and give a clarification by the month-end.

Kudremukh Wildlife Division not permitting construction,

says MLA