Yeddyurappa flays govt. for its stand on shifting district prison

B.S. Yeddyurappa, BJP national vice-president and Shimoga MP, has flayed the State government for its stand on the issue of shifting of the district prison.

B.S. Yeddyurappa, MP and national vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, presenting a certificate to a participant of skill development programme at the valedictory function of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Shimoga District Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Shimoga on Sunday. Photo: Vaidya

B.S. Yeddyurappa, BJP national vice-president and Shimoga MP, has flayed the State government for its stand on the issue of shifting of the district prison.

It may be mentioned here that in 2009, when Mr. Yeddyurappa was the Chief Minister, the State government had decided to shift the district prison located in Vinoba Nagar here to Sogane in the outskirts of the city. A new prison was constructed at Sogane at a cost of Rs. 54 crore. It was planned to develop the existing prison on the model of the Freedom Park at Bangalore and use the premises to conduct public programmes that attract large crowds.

Minister for Home K.J. George had announced at the Legislative Council recently that the government was planning to lodge prisoners serving sentences at the new prison and undertrials at the existing prison.

Speaking at a programme organised to mark the valedictory of golden jubilee celebrations of the Shimoga District Chamber of Commerce and Industries here on Sunday, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that State government should not take a hasty decision in this regard.

Lack of space

At present, there was no proper open space in the city to organise national festivals and to conduct conventions that attract huge crowd. The existing prison is located at the heart of the Shimoga. With the objective of using the premises to host the programmes that attract huge crowd, it was planned to shift the prison to the outskirts of the city. The purpose behind the construction of new prison would be defeated if the stand taken by the State government over the issue. He called upon the people of Shimoga to pressurise the Government to completely shift the prison.

He also expressed displeasure over the delay in completing of the work related to construction of Shivappa Nayaka Market, another project he had initiated during his tenure as Chief Minister. The State government had sanctioned Rs. 62 crore in 2008 to Shimoga City Corporation. The project was launched to boost commercial activities in the city. The Shimoga City Corporation should complete the work at the earliest, he said.