Public debate must before taking any decision on uniform civil code: DVS

January 28, 2015

Udupi, Jan 28: There should be a public debate and discussion before any decision is taken on the issue of a uniform civil code, said Union Law Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda.

Speaking to presspersons at Karkala, Mr. Gowda said that any decision required public discussions and a wide-ranging debate.

On the ‘ghar wapsi’ issue, Mr. Gowda said that the States screaming against reconversion should first pass an anti-conversion law. If an anti-conversion law was passed, it would solve the problems arising out of conversion and re-conversion.

On the public concern in States about the recommendations of the K. Kasturirangan Panel’s report on the conservation of the Western Ghats, Mr. Gowda said that there was no need for worry. The Green Tribunal of Supreme Court had given two more months to the States to submit their reports.

The State government should follow the Kerala model in giving its report. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should take all stakeholders into confidence instead of depending only on officers on this issue, he said.

To a question, Mr. Gowda said that there was no move to ban arecanut. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda would hold a meeting with experts on this issue. Based on report from experts, an affidavit would be submitted to the Supreme Court stating that consumption of arecanut was not injurious to health, he said.

On the Arkavathy Layout denotification controversy, Mr. Gowda said that the Bharatiya Janata Party would bring the matter to the notice of the people.

Irrespective of whether Governor Vajubhai Vala gave or withheld permission to probe the issue, the Bharatiya Janata Party would go ahead with its own legal struggle, he said.

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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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