Officials Must Work Not Only With Intelligence, But Also With Compassion: U.T. Khader
Karkala: Officials must work not only with intelligence but also with compassion and empathy, said Health and Family Welfare Minister and Udupi district Minister in charge of Natural Disaster Management, U.T. Khader.
He was speaking at a taluk-level rain damage review meeting held at the Taluk Panchayat meeting hall on August 8. Khader said officials are the face of the government and serve as a link between the government and elected representatives. Therefore, they must discharge their duties honestly and proactively.
“Natural disasters usually cause the greatest damage to the homes of poor people. Officials should personally visit the affected sites and, along with completing departmental procedures, offer reassurance and work with compassion. They must respond to people’s calls round the clock,” he instructed.
Appreciation for the Police Department
Khader appreciated the Udupi district police for tracing the accused in the murder of Congress leader and businessman David D’Souza in Mudrangady, Kapu taluk, on August 7.
“The way the Udupi district police traced the accused in the murder case is commendable. The police have shown that criminals from Uttar Pradesh cannot escape justice after coming to Karnataka,” the minister said.
During the meeting, Khader sought information from various officials regarding natural disasters and development-related works.
Agricultural and Horticultural Damage Reviewed
The Agriculture Department official said paddy cultivation is given priority in Karkala taluk and that paddy has been cultivated on 4,002 hectares this year. No major rain-related problems have been reported so far. However, due to delayed rainfall, farmers undertook sowing activities on their own.
The Horticulture Department official said horticultural crops have been cultivated across 18,000 hectares, of which 6.2 hectares have suffered damage. A report has already been submitted. A total of 4,188 crop insurance registrations have been made this year.
Khader directed officials to provide farmers with proper information about crop insurance and encourage more farmers to make use of the scheme.
“The Compensation Is Paid by the Government, Not From Your Pocket”
Tahsildar Pradeep Kurdekar informed the minister that 59 houses had suffered partial damage this year and that compensation had been provided to all the affected households.
Responding to this, Khader said poor people are usually the ones who suffer the most damage to their homes.
“Provide adequate compensation on a larger scale. The money is being provided by the government, not from your pocket. So there is no need to hesitate,” he said.
Take Immediate Action to Control Stray Dog Menace
When the Veterinary Department official informed the meeting that there are around 700 stray dogs within the municipal limits, Khader directed officials to take immediate action.
“If this is not controlled now, it could become a major problem in the next five to 10 years,” he warned.
He suggested carrying out sterilisation through NGOs. Alternatively, municipal workers could be trained for the task. However, if municipal workers are assigned the work, they should be paid separately for the additional responsibility, he said.
Ensure Safety of School Children
When the DDPI informed the meeting that 342 classrooms and 50 compound walls in Karkala taluk were in a dangerous condition, Khader directed officials to take immediate steps to ensure that children are not put at risk.
The Child Development Officer informed the meeting that there are 232 Anganwadi centres in the taluk and that two centres identified as unsafe have already been shifted.
“Is There a Problem With the Quality of the Electricity Poles?”
When a MESCOM official informed the meeting that 955 electricity poles had been damaged this year, Khader jokingly asked whether there was a problem with the quality of the poles or whether the trees were simply stronger.
He then sought details regarding the repair and restoration work.
“FIR Will Be Registered Against Forest Officials If Negligence Causes Accidents”: Sunil Kumar
When the minister sought information from forest officials regarding tree-clearing operations, MLA V. Sunil Kumar asked how many applications had been received and whether all the requested tree-removal works had been completed.
The forest official replied that the removal work was in progress.
The MLA then questioned how a person was killed when a roadside tree fell on a car in Hebri the previous day.
“If such an accident occurs again due to negligence, an FIR will be registered against you,” Sunil Kumar warned the forest officials.
Speaking on the issue, Khader said, “If people are losing their lives because trees are falling, what work are you doing? Whoever it may be, every human life is valuable. There should be no negligence. Dangerous trees must be removed.”
When the forest official said he would discuss the matter with senior officials, Khader warned, “Don’t just pass the ball around like in football; score the goal.”
“The Best Officer Is One Who Prevents This Year’s Problems From Recurring Next Year”
Khader asked, “Who is the best officer?”
He answered, “The truly best officer is the one who ensures that the problems faced this year do not remain when the next year comes.”
Fire Station Facilities Discussed
The Fire Station Officer informed the meeting that Karkala and Hebri taluks have only one fire station and one vehicle. Funds have been sanctioned for a fire station in Hebri, but construction has not begun due to issues involving the Forest Department.
Khader instructed officials to bring the matter properly to the attention of senior officials and elected representatives.
Repairs to Five Bridges to Be Taken Up
The PWD official said requests have been submitted over the past two years seeking repairs to five bridges, including the Mundli Dam Bridge, which supplies water to Karkala town, and the Nitte-Parappadi Bridge.
Khader assured that necessary action would be taken.
He also directed panchayats not to spend money on unnecessary works and to prioritise essential requirements.
“After the elections, when new panchayat bodies take charge, there should also be funds available for them,” he said.
Khader subsequently sought departmental information from officials of the Social Welfare Department, Backward Classes Department, Health Department and Minor Irrigation Department.
Government Bus Service Issue Raised
Taluk Guarantee Implementation Committee President Ajith Hegde said the government bus service in the Palli-Kanajaru area had been discontinued despite repeated appeals and that no solution had been found.
Khader advised him to seek a solution through the court if the issue could not be resolved through the concerned authorities.
Government Will Protect People Living in the Western Ghats
Responding to media questions about the state government’s stand on declaring the Western Ghats an eco-sensitive area, Khader said steps would be taken to ensure that people living in forest areas do not face difficulties.
Karnataka State Coastal Development Authority Chairman M.A. Gafoor, Taluk Guarantee Implementation Committee President Ajith Hegde, Deputy Commissioner Swaroopa T.K., Udupi Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Prateek Bayal, and Udupi District Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar were present on the dais.
