'Sakhi' to help women in distress: Karandlaje

 The Union government has sanctioned Sakshi, a one-stop programme for women in distress, to the district.

Chairing a district vigilance committee meeting here on Monday, MP Shobha Karandlaje said the programmes is especially sanctioned to the district. Udupi will act as the centre of activities for all the districts in the state, she added.

All kinds of assistance, including legal, police, medical help, counselling, temporary support services, will be provided to women in distress under the programme.

She said the construction work of a building of the programme will begin shortly at Nittur. A sum of Rs 38 lakh has already been allotted for the purpose. The programme will start immediately with four or five staffers. A sum of Rs 8 lakh has also been released for the payment of staffers. The councilors and the department officers are appointed as staff, she stated.

The meeting was informed that 30 per cent of the total works of jetty constructions in the district has been completed. For the jetty construction at Kodi Kanyana, the tender process is underway. A sum of Rs 102 crore has been released for the breakwater construction at Gangolli and Rs 32 crore for the breakwater in Kodibengre. The construction work is in progress, the ports and fisheries department officer said. 

He said Rs 8 crore is pending for reimbursement for the third stage expansion of Malpe port. The jetty work at Hejmadi has been halted due to environment issue. The project is estimated to cost Rs 124.59 crore, he stated.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Vishal R said public hearings should be held at project sites.
He reiterated that fishing holidays are strictly imposed from June 1 to July 31. Sand mining is strictly banned during the period, he added.

Other issues

Rajiv Gandhi electrification and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana issues also came up for discussion.

A sum of Rs 23.65 crore is allocated for power supply in rural and urban areas. The Mescom officer said the funds have been released for improvement of the system. The works have been taken up in Udupi, Saligarma, Karkala and Kundapur and the tender is floated. Electrification has to be done at 2,837 houses. The work will get over by July.

The Deputy Commissioner said 2,000 houses have been given solar connection under naxal package. NOC is not required for the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana, he added.

The MP said the doubling of Konkan railway has started. Referring to the impending Malpe-Thirthahalli national highway, she said that a detailed survey is being conducted for the project. The preliminary survey is already over, she stated.

The DC added that the construction work of junctions at Padubidri and the Kundapur national highway lane will be completed by May 2017.

The MP directed the officers to work on the feasibility of bringing water from Varahi river to Brahmavar. He added that pre-feasible report and basic engineering sketch have to be prepared. He said there is no dearth of funds for the transport of water.

An Udupi CMC officer said nearly 80 per cent of the slum dwellings in Beedengudde have been cleared.

The DC said that motorised transport will be planned for efficient disposal of solid waste.
The district health officer said the burns’ ward is working effectively and the staff arrangements have been made. A sum of Rs 27 lakh has been released for medicine and 96 per cent institutional delivery has taken place and 145 infant mortality cases have been reported in the district. Only two maternal deaths have been reported, he informed the meeting.