First KDP meet of the year amid flaws in ‘Land of Coffee’

Madikeri: After taking charge as the District In-charge Minister, Sa Ra Mahesh conducted the first progress review meet, here on Thursday, December 27.

Amid a 45-minute delay in reaching the venue for the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting, the minister received a cheque of Rs 4.25 Lakh collected by the Vijayanagara Kshemabhivradhi Sangha towards the Kodagu relief.

Deputy Commissioner P I Sreevidya, MLC Veena Achaiah, CEO of Zilla Panchayat Lakshmi Priya, Superintendent of Police Dr. Suman Pennekar and other officials were present during the cheque receiving.

It was observed that the seating arrangement for the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA K G Bopaiah was made below the dais.

When Sa Ra Mahesh asked the SP about the same, Bopaiah sarcastically quipped, “This is a better place from where I can ask questions with the right posture. If I sit on the dais, I’ll need to turn my neck every now and then.”

Mahesh said, “If this is the case, I too will sit with you below the dais”, for which Bopaiah directly asked the former to begin the meet.

The meeting began with criticism by Bopaiah stating that the last meet was held on September 16, 2017, and requested not to waste time by discussing unnecessary topics and instead, focus on core issues related to the district.

Later issues relating to the Kodagu floods, forest land distribution to the farmers and many more were discussed.

A statement saying, “Giving an application to the forest department and a dead body being taken for cremation are one and the same”, resonated in the meet.

K G Bopaiah was unhappy regarding the absence of the chief forest officer in the meet and ordered the secretary of the meet and the sub divisional forest conservatory officer to summon the official concerned immediately.