Mangaluru : District In-charge Secretary V Ponnuraj has directed officials to submit a report on impounding water at a height of seven metres at Thumbe vented dam, the main source of water for Mangaluru.

District In-charge Secretary V Ponnuraj has directed officials to submit a report on impounding water at a height of seven metres at Thumbe vented dam, the main source of water for Mangaluru.

“Officials from the Revenue and the Survey departments and the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) should jointly conduct the survey to estimate the extend of land likely to be submerged,” he instructed.

Ponnuraj also directed departments concerned to construct more public toilets at bus stops, markets and main junctions in the district. He said that the toilets should be maintained at regular intervals. There is a need to collect inputs from users about the toilet in public places, he said.

The work on construction of 600 houses at Idya in Mangaluru City Corporation jurisdiction has begun. Ponnuraj expressed displeasure that the construction of houses for poor under various housing schemes is moving at a snails’ pace and directed officials to expedite the process of completing the houses.

The district in-charge secretary also said that officials should complete the work on the repair of houses damaged during the recent rain. “The officials should ensure that all the flood-hit victims have received Rs 1 lakh from the government,” Ponnuraj instructed.

He also directed the Wakf officer to submit report on the Wakf properties encroached upon in the district.

Ponnuraj expressed displeasure on the underground drainage (UGD) works taken up in different parts of Mangaluru. The work on the UGD system under Smart City Mission, Amrit scheme and ADB second phase at different locations in the city are being implemented without a proper thought, he said.

“In order to set right the missing links of UGD project implemented in the first phase of ADB funded project, KUIDFC had released Rs 58 crore. The money should be utilised effectively,” he stressed.