Siddu rejects Shettar's charge on Lokayukta nominee

January 21, 2017

Shivamogga, Jan 21: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday dismissed BJP leader Jagadish Shettar's charge that the state government was “trying” to keep the Lokayukta's post vacant.

Speaking to journalists here, he said the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly was part of the team that recommended three people, including Justice Vishwanath Shetty, for the Lokayukta's position. “Did Shettar recommend Shetty's name deliberately?” he demanded.

According to the chief minister, Shetty faces only one accusation: owning a site in Judicial Layout. But he is not the only judge to have sites there; 80% of the judges have sites there, he said.

Laying the foundation stone for development works in Shivamogga, Siddaramaiah said his government favoured not only Ahinda (a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward castes and Dalits) but also the poor from all castes. The government has implemented schemes such as Anna Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya etc for people's welfare, 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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