‘Officials must respond promptly to public grievances’
CH NEWS, Udupi Government officials must respond promptly to public grievances and resolve issues within their authority, District In-charge Minister Rizwan Arshad said on Monday. He warned that negligence in handling public complaints would invite appropriate action. Chairing the quarterly Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting at the Zilla Panchayat complex in Manipal, he instructed officials to coordinate between departments instead of shifting responsibility. He said he had visited the district seven times since taking charge and was monitoring the functioning of government offices. Expressing concern over the rainfall deficit, Arshad directed officials to take preventive measures against possible summer drinking water shortages, including installing stop-logs at check dams. He also asked the Deputy Commissioner to review pending applications submitted under Forms 53, 54 and 94C for land and house sites, and ensure eligible cases were processed according to rules. He acknowledged the shortage of staff for 108 ambulance services and asked health officials to prepare a plan to improve services using available personnel. Surveys relating to deemed forests and forest clearances for development and drinking water projects must also be expedited. The Minister stressed timely textbook and footwear distribution, school repairs, quality education and effective implementation of the midday meal scheme. He expressed concern that farmers were yet to receive irrigation benefits under the Varahi project, despite an expenditure of ₹200 crore over eight years against the planned ₹326 crore. The Deputy Commissioner was asked to convene a meeting to resolve the reserved forest-related technical issue. He also reviewed pending work at Hejamadi port, coastal erosion protection, fishing harbour desilting, sand availability and the use of District Mineral Foundation funds. Officials were told to ensure regular drinking water testing, continuous supply under the Jal Jeevan Mission, quality food and clean water filters in Anganwadis, and proper use of the ₹1 lakh Saksham Anganwadi grant. Road repairs and clearance of roadside vegetation were also prioritised. MLAs, MLCs, Deputy Commissioner Swaroop T.K., Zilla Panchayat CEO Prateek Bayal, SP Hariram Shankar and other officials attended.
