Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada District minister Dinesh Gundu Rao directed officials to serve notices to all those who were allotted sites under the Ashraya Yojana at a layout in Jodusthana under Dharmasthala gram panchayat of Belthangady taluk. The minister also asked officials to conduct a survey to assess encroachment of govt land.Chairing a tri-monthly KDP meeting here on Saturday, the minister said action should be taken to clear the encroachments. Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja said that the encroachment of the public concrete road leading to the layout was not cleared even after the issue was raised during the previous KDP meeting.Officials informed that while 25 sites were created in the layout, 15 title deeds were issued in 2016. However, a few title deed holders were residing on sites that were not allotted to them, and many other sites were encroached upon.The minister directed officials to submit a report on the encroachments immediately and asked deputy commissioner Darshan HV to resolve the issue at the earliest.MLC Dr Dhananjay Sarji sought updates on a case related to expired medicines allegedly procured by the Ayush department in the district last year. DHO Dr Thimmaiah HR said that no expired medicines were procured. However, the department failed to follow procedures while procuring medicines from other districts.Rao, who is also the health minister, said the Ayush officer concerned has already been transferred from the district.Replying to MLC Ivan D’Souza’s queries, backward classes welfare department district officer Bindiya Nayak said that in the 2026 budget, the govt has announced 50 hostels across eight districts. Accordingly, Dakshina Kannada district is likely to receive five additional hostels to cater to students’ needs. She said nearly 600 applicants could not be given hostel admission due to lack of space, while 355 students were provided assistance under the Vidya Siri scheme in 2025-26.While KDP member Melwyn D’Souza raised the issue of water shortage in Bondantila village, MLC Kishore Kumar suggested digging borewells in rural areas.Zilla panchayat CEO Narwade Vinayak Karbhari said 96 water-related works were approved through the district-level task force. Out of it, 50 works are under progress, he said.
