NRI seeks info on SEZ under RTI Act

NRI seeks info on SEZ under RTI Act
The Newindpress.com

Tuesday August 14 2007 13:04 IST
HUBLI: A Non-Resident Indian from Hubli has filed an application with the Indian Embassy at Washington DC, USA, seeking information on the status of Karnataka Government’s decision on clearing the proposal of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to set up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Hubli under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Nagesh Tavarageri, California-based techie, who launched the online campaign to make Hubli-Dharwad an IT destination, appraoched the Government under the RTI Act to know what actually the Government is doing to implement its decision. Ever since the government evinced interest to develop tier-2 cities in the State, Tavarageri and his friends abroad from the twin city set a mission for the development of Hubli-Dharwad in all aspects. They had even submitted an online petition to the President of India requesting the President to include Hubli-Dharwad under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme. In the application submitted to the Public Information Officer at the Indian Embassy, Nagesh has stated that though the Cabinet of Karnataka gave its clearance for the SEZ by TCS Ltd on Aug 28, 2006, hardly has there been any progress in the pursuance of the said project.

Nagesh has sought information on following specific information:

What is the current status of the SEZ project granted to TCS, for Hubli-Dharwad?

Has the Department of Commerce and Industries forwarded the file pertaining to SEZ project granted to TCS, in Hubli-Dharwad, to the Board of Approval (BoA) for SEZ?

If the details of the project have not yet been submitted to the BoA SEZ, what is the reason for not submitting the same to Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry?

Who is the bureaucratic authority responsible for the undue delay caused in this regard?

If the same details have already been submitted to the BoA SEZ, I would like to have all the related details of such submission to the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

If the details of the project have not yet been submitted to the BoA SEZ, what steps are being taken by the authorities, to expedite the process with a sense of urgency?

People's movement for honest officers

People's movement for honest officers
Times of India

13 Aug 2007, 0432 hrs IST,
BANGALORE: A people's movement is gathering momentum in two towns of the state, protesting the transfer of two upright officers. The battle lines seem to be drawn between people's power and the powers that be.

Residents of Hubli-Dharwad and KGF towns have stomped the streets in protest against the transfer of honest officials in whom they say they ‘saw hope'.

While people staged rasta-rokos to criticise the transfer of IAS officer and Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) commissioner, P Manivannan, residents of Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) have decided to observe a bandh to protest the transfer of IPS officer K V Sridhar. The Kumaraswamy government had effected their transfers last week.

But, why are people taking to the roads in support of only these two officers? The answer is simple: These officers distinguished themselves with their integrity, their grasp of people's problems and sincere efforts to find solutions.

Manivannan, for instance, chose not to be the typical bureaucrat who worked in an air-conditioned room. Instead, he was on the field each day for over 12 hours, interacting with people. In fact, when he took over as commissioner three years ago, the twin cities of Hubli-Dharwad were described as a ‘big village' because of lack of development, which was only increasing people's frustration.

Even before people could realise what was happening with HDMC, Manivannan restructured the internal administration by giving thrust to decentralisation. He spent Rs 30 crore on construction of roads. Next, he took on the builder-lobby through a demolition drive against illegal buildings. The builder-politician nexus got him transferred in July 2006, but public protests forced the then Dharam Singh government to cancel his transfer. His deft handling of grievances brought him to the public eye. So much so, when the Kumaraswamy government transferred him recently, people became suspicious. The government had to say that it was a routine transfer effected once in three years.

In the case of transfer of KGF superintendent of police K V Sridhar, the residents of the once-mining town are not enthused about the government's decision. In the last 14 months, the town has seen four IPS officers. Sridhar was first posted as SP to KGF on May 20 last year, but was shunted out within four days following political pressure.

The police administration in the town degenerated as everything was controlled by local politicians. But people saw hope when Sridhar was posted again as SP on July 9 this year. He got the lower-rung policemen to respond to people's problems. Nine personnel were suspended for dereliction of duty. A police party deployed to provide security to a politician's under-construction house was withdrawn. He curtailed the influence of the cable mafia. But before people could smile, transfer orders were issued to him on August 8.

Irked, the residents have appealed to the government to reinstate him. They have called for a KGF bandh on Monday.

Manivannan and Sridhar's cases are a pointer to the fact that people do protest when government uses the power of transfer to shunt upright officers.

rakesh.prakash@timesgroup.com

Rain gives fresh lease of life to lake

Rain gives fresh lease of life to lake
The Newindpress.com

Tuesday August 7 2007 13:16 IST
HUBLI: Baaro Sadankerige, the famous lyric penned by poet Dr D R Bendre still echoes in every person residing in Dharwad. Sadhanakeri Lake, the inspiration for Bendre, is brimming with water for the first time.

The lake was on the verge of extinction. This beautiful lake is also a habitat and breeding ground for migratory birds too. Lush green trees surround the lake. The chirping of birds add to the charm.

In rainy seasons the lake abounds in splendour. Now it is almost full with fresh water. ‘‘We never saw this lake this full. With more rains predicted this week, we expect more inflow,’’ said Kartik, a resident.

If the lake is de-silted, it may look more attractive, and lure tourists, says Bharat, another walker around this place. However, this historical lake faces a number of problems.

‘‘Nearby people dump garbage into the lake posing great threat to the water body. Public awareness needs to be created to save the lake,’’ said Smriti, a housewife.

‘‘We used to go to different far-off ponds or lakes to catch fish, but this time the lake is full with a variety of fish in it. We can sight other small aquatic species here,’’ said Shabuddin, a fisherman.

Citizens take road to insurance

Citizens take road to insurance
Deccan Herald News Service

Hubli:For the first time in the history of the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), people of a residential area in Hubli have insured a road asphalted by the corporation a few months ago...

For the first time in the history of the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), people of a residential area in Hubli have insured a road asphalted by the corporation a few months ago.

The corporation had asphalted the Thimmasagara Temple Main Road under the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF). This road is an arterial road connecting PB Road to Unkal Hosur Road situated in the heart of Vidyanagar, which falls in Ward No 43 (Zonal No 9).

Subsequently, the residents came out with the novel of idea of insuring that stretch of road and approached the HDMC authorities.

Welcoming the residents’ initiative, Commissioner P Manivannan agreed to insure that road on behalf of the HDMC.

Later, the residents also got a no objection certificate (NoC) from the corporation and approached the Oriental Insurance Company, who insured the road for Rs 2 lakh with an annual premium of Rs 303. The residents contributed equally to pay the premium.

They felt the need to insure the newly asphalted road in order to reduce the burden of maintenance.

The total sum assured is Rs 2 lakh and in case of any claims for the damages mentioned in Standard Fire and Special perils policy schedule, the amount would be directly remitted to the HDMC account.

The people here opined that the corporation has helped them a lot in many things and it was also their duty to do something in return to help the civil body.

The residents are now planning to plant saplings on either sides of the road for further development.

No insurance would be paid if anybody digs up the road to lay water pipelines or for underground drainage system. The residents could claim insurance for any possible road damage caused due to pipeline burst. In such a situation, the insurance money would be deposited to the HDMC’s account from which the road can be rebuilt.