Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada district minister Dinesh Gundu Rao directed urban local bodies and gram panchayats (GPs) to expedite the issuance of e-Khata and e-Swathu documents. He was speaking at a review meeting with officials at the deputy commissioner’s office on Wednesday.The minister said e-Khata and e-Swathu are essential for approvals related to building construction, site plan sanctions and other permissions. He noted complaints from citizens about delays caused by technical issues and instructed officials to immediately discuss the matter with the concerned authorities and resolve the problems at the earliest.Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) commissioner Ravichandra Naik said the technical issues in issuing e-Khatas have been resolved and 1,058 e-Khatas were issued in Feb.Gundu Rao also directed officials to begin work on the proposed District Rangamandira in Mangaluru at the earliest, and to speed up the completion of the Panja Mangesh Rao Bhavan under construction in Bantwal. He asked them to resolve forest-related issues delaying development of the Kudmul Ranga Rao memorial site at Attavar.He further asked MCC officials to hold discussions with major industries to facilitate the use of treated water. He instructed that a third-party inspection be conducted for works under the Jalasiri project within MCC limits.The minister said that newly constructed hostel buildings in the district that have been completed should be opened for student occupancy without waiting for formal inauguration.Deputy commissioner Darshan HV, City police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, SP Arun K, zilla panchayat CEO Narwade Vinayak Karbhari, additional deputy commissioner Raju K, and other officials attended the meeting.Works on UGD upgradation launchedTo strengthen the sewerage system within MCC limits, a Rs 40-crore grant was sanctioned under the National Green Tribunal’s Environmental Compensation Fund. Of this, Rs 6.8 crore was allocated for upgradation of the STP at Pachanady; Rs 3.2 crore for bubble diffusers, air blowers and control panels at the Bajal STP; Rs 3.3 crore for a new wet well at Attavar; and Rs 16.1 crore for upgradation of 8.2km of the main UGD pipeline in selected parts of Mangaluru.The minister formally inaugurated the UGD upgradation works at the Pachanady STP.
