Udupi: Former MP Vinaykumar Sorake on Wednesday described as "dictatorial" the action of the district administration in removing small roadside shops run by "poor shopkeepers".

In a press release issued here, Mr. Sorake said that the district administration was following a brutal and dictatorial policy against the shopkeepers.

Notice

These people were earning their livelihood with the help of their petty shops. The district administration had taken a decision without giving any notice to the shopkeepers, Mr. Sorake charged and added that it had not even made arrangements for their rehabilitation. "The action of the district administration was inhuman," he said. The action by the district administration had shown the true colour of the Government. The demolition of shops at Kota and the eviction of poor people at Admar and Chara villages in Udupi district were also glaring examples of the brutal policy of the State Government. Kaup MLA and the district in-charge Minister V.S. Acharya had remained silent on the eviction of poor people at Admar, Mr. Sorake said and added that it was time the Government provided relief to the people.

Though many people had been affected owing to rain near Byndoor, Dr. Acharya had not taken action to provide relief to them. The Minister had not even visited the rain-affected areas, Mr. Sorake said.

The negligent attitude of the Minister was responsible for the increasing dictatorial attitude of the district administration in demolishing petty shops in Udupi, he said and added that the Minister should respond to the needs of the people.

Removed

Meanwhile, many shopkeepers voluntarily pulled down the illegal extensions and temporary structures in front of their shops here on Wednesday. The district administration had on Tuesday informed the shopkeepers to voluntarily clear the encroachments by Wednesday evening.

Kundapur, May 9: A day-long demonstration in front of the taluk panchayat office here was staged on Tuesday, May 8 to protest against the provisions of the Panchayat Raj Amendment Bill 2007.

The protest was led by former MLA and sitting MLC K Pratapchanra Shetty. Over 2000 elected panchayat members and Congress workers gathered on the spot and they submitted a memorandum to be in turn forwarded to state governor T N Chaturvedi.

The contents of the memorandum highlighted:

The Grama Sabha is the creation of Article 243 A of the Constitution of India, with a view to making India a participatory democracy by providing opportunity to the people to take part in the process of governance and decision-making.  Therefore it is incumbent upon the States to endow the gram sabhas with certain powers and responsibilities.

Section 3 and 3A of Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act-1993 is the heart and soul of the Panchayat Raj system which the Constitution of India so ambitiously contemplates to establish in the country. It is this provision of the Constitution that intends to make India a participatory democracy.

It is mandatory for all the States to create the Grama Sabha at every Grama Panchayat and to entrust it with necessary powers and responsibilities to enable it to be the grass-root level democratic unit.

The provisions relating to the powers and responsibilities of Grama Sabha in the Karnataka  Panchayat Raj Act  are the result of a path-breaking amendment brought about in 2003 by Karnataka Act-37, after a high power committee made an exhaustive study and an elaborate recommendation in favour so as to reflect the true spirit of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. Before the amendment was finally passed, it had also gone through the scrupulous scrutiny of a Joint Select Committee.

In contrast, the present amendment which is of a great public importance as it amounts to curtailment of the fundamental rights of the people to participate and decide has been hurriedly prepared without allowing enough time for creation of public opinion either in favour or against.

Karnataka, long before the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, has been in the forefront of devolution of powers to the grass-root levels by its progressive Panchayat Raj Legislations passed and implemented from time to time.

S Janardhan, president of Kundapur Taluk Panchayat Raj Institutions, also addressed the audience. M Shivaram Shetty welcomed the audience.

UDUPI: The drive against illegal extensions of shops continued for the third day here on Tuesday.

The personnel of Udupi municipality pulled down illegal extensions and sheds constructed by seven shopkeepers in front of the City Bus Stand and of one shop at Service Bus Stand. The other shopkeepers near the City Bus Stand voluntarily pulled down the sheds.

The Deputy Commissioner V. Ponnuraj inspected the shops and directed officials to pull down the illegal extensions. Commissioner of Udupi municipality Gokuldas Nayak accompanied the Deputy Commissioner.

Some shopkeepers were seen pleading with the Deputy Commissioner to give them some space. But Mr. Ponnuraj made it clear that the law was equal for all.

UDUPI: The stage is set for the Common Entrance Test (CET) for professional courses here on Wednesday.

According to the Pre-University Board here on Tuesday, 2,720 students will appear for the CET at six examination centres in the city. Four hundred students each will appear for the CET at Poornaprajna College, Udupi Board High School, and Sharada Residential School. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 will be in force in a radius of 200 metres of the six examination centres from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Deputy Commissioner is the Chief Examination Superintendent for the CET. There will be six observers, six custodians and three route officers for the CET.

Kallianpur, May 7: Training programme for the members of Catholic Sabha of Kallianpur deanery was held at Mount Rosary Church Hall Kallianpur near here on Sunday May 6.

Felix Pinto, the president of Catholic Sabha deanery chapter presided and welcomed the gathering.   Louis Almeida Manipal and Dr Gerald Pinto were the resource persons.

The office-bearers of all the seven parishes participated in this training programme. They were trained in organizing the programme in the social, economic, cultural and political development of the community. Thomas D’Souza proposed the vote of thanks.

UDUPI: According to Deputy Commissioner V. Ponnuraj here on Monday the traffic condition in Udupi will improve after the district administration completes widening the roads to facilitate movement of vehicles.

Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Ponnuraj said the new plan proposes two one-way roads in the heart of the city. Kavi Muddanna Road and Maruthi Veethika Road (from Brindavan Hotel to Mitra Hospital) that runs parallel to Kavi Muddanna Road would be converted into one-way roads, he said.

The vehicles entering Udupi from Swagat Gopura will have to come to Diana Circle use the Kavi Muddanna Road and reach the Malpe-Manipal Highway.

While the vehicles from City Bus Stand side would have to use Maruthi Veethika Road and get connected to Diana Circle.

Since the Kavi Muddanna Road is wide it is proposed to have two lanes on the Kavi Muddanna Road, one for buses and heavy vehicles and another for light vehicles and two-wheelers.

Efforts will be made to construct a footpath on both main streets. There will be provision for a right turn at four perpendicular roads connecting Kavi Muddanna Road and Maruthi Veethika Road.

The district administration had found that there were two bottlenecks, one at Mangalore Electricity Supply Company office and another on the City Bus Stand Road. The administration is talking to the shop-owners to solve the problem as soon as possible.

Service buses

After the proposed new traffic system comes into existence, service buses and city buses would not be allowed to stop near Board School. They will have to stop at the City Bus Stand and Service Bus Stand.

Service buses would have to take a right turn and enter the Service Bus Stand instead of using the Kediyoor Hotel Road to enter it, he said.

PULLED DOWN: People removing the sheds in front of their shops on Kavi Muddanna Road in Udupi on Monday.

UDUPI: Udupi municipality's move to demolish illegal mobile and petty shops, temporary structures and sheds encroaching the road in an effort to widen the roads entered the second day here on Monday.

The municipality removed five petty shops near the Service Bus Stand. After the action by the municipality, five shop owners pulled down the sheds in front of their shops near the Clock Tower. Deputy Commissioner V. Ponnuraj led the action against encroachments. Superintendent of Police A.S. Rao and the Commissioner of Udupi municipality Gokuldas Nayak accompanied him.

Later addressing presspersons, Mr. Ponnuraj said that the drive against encroachments was aimed at widening the congested and narrow main roads. Officially there were 450 petty shops in the city. The district administration took a sympathetic view of the people eking out their livelihood through these petty and mobile shops. It had come to the notice of the district administration that some of these shops were given on rent. Besides widening the roads, the district administration wanted to spruce up the drainage system and remove obstructing street lamps in the city.

The drainage system at the Poornaprajna College Road, where encroachments were removed on Saturday, was being upgraded. The five shops removed near the Service Bus Stand would be shifted to a less congested area.

As many as five shops near the City Bus Stand would be relocated. A rehabilitation package would be worked out for those whose shops are removed and relocated. "Road widening is a continuous project. Our aim is to see that everyone is benefited by these measures," he said.

Illegal hoardings in the city would be removed. Eight big complexes in the city had not made provision for parking space. Notices had been issued to them.