Mangaluru: Hundreds of residents attended the Mangaluru A hobli-level Praja Seva Andolana held at the Mangaluru City Corporation’s Mangala Hall on Saturday, submitting petitions over a range of civic, welfare and revenue-related issues.
The meeting was chaired by Mangaluru City South MLA Vedavyas Kamath. Deputy commissioner Darshan H V, Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner Rahul Rathan Pandey, assistant commissioner Meenakshi Arya and other senior district-level officials were present to receive petitions and hear the grievances of residents.
Non-payment of Sandhya Suraksha Yojana pensions, sewage-related problems, door-number issues, land conversion and single-site approvals emerged as some of the major concerns raised during the programme.
Woman raises Sandhya Suraksha pension issue
A woman from Bajal told the officials that she had not received her Sandhya Suraksha Yojana pension for the past six months.
Responding to her complaint, Kamath said that after the present state government came to power, the pension had been withheld for beneficiaries categorised under the Above Poverty Line (APL).
Kamath said that, as an MLA, he could not directly intervene in the matter but assured the woman that he would bring the issue to the government’s attention.
The grievance highlighted concerns among beneficiaries who depend on social security assistance and attend public grievance programmes seeking intervention from elected representatives and officials.
Women’s association seeks building funds
A request was also submitted seeking financial assistance for the construction of a women’s association building in Kasaba Bengre.
Kamath assured the representatives that necessary steps would be taken through his MLA fund.
Residents from different areas also submitted petitions relating to sewage facilities and door numbers. Following the submissions, Kamath directed the concerned officials to examine the issues and take appropriate action.
The presence of senior district and civic officials enabled residents to place their grievances directly before the authorities during the programme.
MLA calls for humanitarian approach
Addressing the gathering at the beginning of the programme, Kamath said economically vulnerable people often face considerable difficulties while approaching government departments and attending public grievance meetings.
He urged officials to consider the difficulties faced by such residents while dealing with their petitions and respond to their concerns with a humanitarian approach.
Kamath also called upon officials to discharge their responsibilities effectively and ensure that genuine public grievances are addressed through the appropriate departments.
The programme provided residents an opportunity to present issues concerning civic amenities, welfare benefits and government services before officials from the district administration and Mangaluru City Corporation.
Plea to resolve land conversion issues
Land conversion and single-site approvals were also among the major concerns raised during the meeting.
Hanumanth Kamath of the Nagarika Hitarakshana Samiti drew attention to delays faced by residents in obtaining land conversion and single-site approvals in Mangaluru.
He said residents were being forced to visit government offices repeatedly for more than three months due to difficulties in the process.
Explaining the earlier procedure, he said applicants could submit the required documents and application fee at the taluk office for land conversion. A surveyor would subsequently inspect and measure the property, following which the required sketch could be obtained for the conversion process.
He said a similar procedure was followed for single-site approval, under which applicants could submit the required documents and sketch to the urban development authority and obtain approval after a site survey.
Residents seek simpler approval process
Hanumanth Kamath alleged that changes introduced by the Karnataka government, including the discontinuation of the property card system, had resulted in additional delays and difficulties for residents seeking approvals.
He appealed to the authorities to consider restoring a simpler procedure similar to the earlier system and take steps to address the difficulties faced by applicants.
According to him, residents were spending considerable time visiting different government offices to complete procedures related to land conversion and single-site approvals.
The issue was taken up during the grievance meeting, with residents seeking intervention to make the process more accessible and reduce delays.
Kamath says issue raised with revenue minister
Responding to the concerns, MLA Vedavyas Kamath said he had already raised the matter with the revenue minister several times during the Assembly session.
He acknowledged that delays in land conversion and single-site approvals were a serious concern and said the issue needed to be addressed.
The Praja Seva Andolana concluded with officials receiving petitions from residents and taking note of the issues raised. The programme brought together elected representatives, district officials, civic authorities and residents to discuss problems relating to welfare schemes, basic civic infrastructure and government approval procedures.
Further action on the individual petitions will depend on the concerned departments and authorities examining the grievances and taking appropriate steps.