Mysuru MP Yaduveer Wadiyar has raised concerns over delays and implementation gaps in central government schemes in Kodagu, including housing, drinking water, waste management and AMRUT works, during a district review meeting in Madikeri.
Wadiyar made the remarks at a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee meeting held at the Zilla Panchayat hall on Thursday. He urged officials to remain apolitical and focus on implementing public schemes, while members flagged incomplete works and discrepancies in information submitted by departments.
The review included AMRUT projects in Madikeri, where members expressed concern that works were incomplete and allegedly not being carried out according to scheme guidelines. An official said work was under way in four zones, with two already completed and 45 kilometres of new pipelines laid. Legislative Council member Suja Kushalappa, however, alleged that work had been halted for two months.
Official Jayakumar said work in Virajpet, which had stopped because of a labour shortage, had resumed. He said projects in Kushalnagar and Madikeri were expected to be completed by March. The meeting did not specify the total value of the AMRUT works under review.
Housing schemes also came under scrutiny after members alleged that incorrect statistics had been submitted by taluk panchayat and housing department officials. Errors were found in the information provided to the review committee. Deputy Commissioner SJ Somashekhar said a detailed report on the housing schemes would be submitted.
The meeting also examined waste disposal and sewage infrastructure. Officials were working to secure forest department land at Monnangeri for a waste-disposal unit serving Madikeri after the alternative site at Katakeri was found unsuitable. In Ponnampet, the availability of land for a sewage treatment plant remained unresolved.
Wadiyar directed officials to expedite Jal Jeevan Mission works, citing drought conditions. The meeting also heard allegations that central government schemes were being delayed for political reasons, although these allegations were not independently established in the report. Wadiyar said officials should attend meetings convened to review municipal administration and public works.
Forest and human-wildlife issues formed another part of the review. Wadiyar asked forest officials to prepare a Project Elephant action plan amid discussions at the central level on relocating wild elephants. Deputy Conservator of Forests Abhishek said fresh tenders had been invited for a delayed seven-kilometre railway barricade in Kushalnagar, with the tender process expected to be completed within a month.
An estimated Rs 300-crore action plan was also being drafted, although officials were awaiting guidelines. Wadiyar additionally sought scrutiny of non-governmental organisations accused of exploiting forest-related issues to obtain foreign funding; the report did not provide details of the organisations or establish the allegation.
The immediate administrative milestones identified at the meeting are the submission of the detailed housing report, completion of the pending AMRUT works in Kushalnagar and Madikeri by March, and finalisation of the railway-barricade tender process within a month.
