Lobo hits out at DK MP for misleading people to cover up his failures

News Network

February 19, 2019

Mangaluru, Feb 19: Former Mangaluru City South MLA J.R. Lobo on Tuesday accused Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP of Dakshina Kannada, of misleading people on the ongoing flyover projects at Pumpwell and Thokkottu to cover up the Centre’s failure in completing the projects on time.

Addressing presspersons, the former MLA alleged that Mr. Kateel was presenting before the people a wrong picture to cover up his failure in completing the projects as promised. Mr. Kateel had said that the Thokkottu flyover would be completed by December 2018 and that the one at Pumpwell would be completed by the end of January 2019.

Mr. Lobo was reacting to a recent speech of Mr. Kateel wherein he blamed district in-charge Minister U.T. Khader and Mr. Lobo for deviation of the alignment of the two flyovers, resulting in delay in their completion.

“As far as I know, there has not been any deviation in alignment,” Mr. Lobo said, adding that neither he nor Mr. Khader could be blamed if the NHAI deviated from the original alignment. “For his (Mr. Kateel’s) failure to get the works completed, he is passing the blame on to us,” he said. “I am ready to swear before the daiva (spirit). Is he ready for a truth test?”

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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