(Inputs DHNS)
Mangalore: The Coastal Development Authority (CDA) that was instituted as an advisory body to the State government on matters pertaining to the development of three coastal districts, has almost remained inactive in the absence of a chairperson, sanctioned posts lying vacant and no work in hand due to several of the project proposals waiting for the government nod since long.
The office of the CDA at the Commercial Complex of Mangalore City Corporation wears a gloomy look, with the Authority secretary, a DTP operator and a stenographer who currently attend the office, made to spend their days with a very little work since a year.
BJP leader B Nagaraj Shetty was the chairman of the CDA during its formation on September 8, 2008 and he resigned from the post in July 2012.
The chairman’s post remained vacant for almost six months, and Tingale Vikramarjuna Hegde was appointed as the chairman in December 2012, who too resigned after five months after the change in the government.
It has been a year now and the CDA continues to remain headless.
Pending proposals
Though the CDA has planned several projects and sent the proposals to the government, the only major credit it has so far, is the planning of 12 hi-tech fish markets in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts, of which three markets are functioning and the work on nine markets is under progress.
Other ambitious project proposals designed by the CDA for the coastal development, including the four laning of Athradi State Highway, construction of concrete fisheries road parallel to the existing National Highway – 66, multi-village water supply scheme are pending with the government, from a year or two.
“Apart from the development of hi-tech fisheries market, the project reports on several foot bridges and a hanging bridge in Uttaraka Kannada prepared by the CDA, were approved and the work was initiated two years ago.
But, the Authority is not in a position to take up the work on preparing any new project reports, as some of the important project reports submitted years ago are pending for approval.
Lack of governing body has curbed the CDA from pushing its project proposals in the government level,” CDA Secretary P A Ganapathi told Deccan Herald.
In fact, to put the authority on the back burner, the government also withdrew three engineers who were technically supporting the CDA to design the projects, a year ago.
“That apart, we have been demanding the government to fill the sanctioned permanent posts of the manager, assistant executive engineer, typist and stenographer, to work in a full-fledged way, but in vain,” he said.
The government has in total earmarked Rs 18 crore for the CDA in last five years, of which only Rs 7 crore has been released.
If an all time high of Rs 10 crore was earmarked in the budget in 2012-13, the earmarked amount reduced to Rs one crore in 2013-14 budget.
Approximately Rs 70 lakh has been spent on providing salary to the employees of the CDA including secretary, manager, temporary staff like engineers, stenographer and DTP operator.
With no governmental support, in the form of monetary and manpower, the CDA appears to be reducing into a rehabilitation ground for political leaders by conveniently accommodating them in a ‘suitable post’ in the government machinery.
