Madikeri: Kodagu district in-charge minister N S Boseraju on Friday set a Dec deadline for the officials concerned to fill all potholes across the district.His decision came during the KDP meeting Friday, attended by officials from the Kodagu district administration. MLAs Manthar Gowda and A S Ponnanna were also present. The minister and the MLAs questioned the officials about the invariable delay in carrying out road repair work despite the release of funds from the state. “The work should have been taken up on a war-footing as soon as the monsoon was over,” they said. Meanwhile, PWD officials have confirmed that Rs 7.44 crore has been released for the maintenance of state highways in the district, and work on 43 sites have been taken up. They added that Rs 14.15 crore has been sanctioned for the district’s main roads, with issuing of tenders currently in progress. The officials also detailed road repair work under the panchayats, assuring that those would be completed by next month. Meanwhile, Ponnanna questioned the delay in road works from Bhagamandala to Talacauvery. The unscientific approach adopted also came under sharp scrutiny during the meeting. Medicine shortage at district hospitals was also discussed during the meeting. MLA Gowda instructed forest department officials to file a suo motu case over the alleged damage of cardamom and coffee crops by foresters. Abhishek, the CCF (Kodagu circle), however, said records cited the land where the crop damage happened belonged to the forest department. Nontheless, the Gowda ordered the officials to conduct a proper investigation into the matter. He also instructed revenue, forest, and agriculture department officers to examine the records, under the supervision of the sub-divisional officer and suggested that a case be registered against the officer who destroyed the crops without notice. After the meeting, the minister met farmers from across the district.
