Karnataka - Mangalore   

Environment award for ULB's from next year

DESERVING HONOUR:J. Krishna. Palemar giving Nairmalya Award to Hosangady Gram Panchayat in Belthangadi taluk in Mangalore on Monday.

MANGALORE: Minister for Environment, Ecology, Fisheries, Ports, Inland Water Transport and Science and Technology J. Krishna Palemar said on Monday that the government would give State-level environment awards to urban local bodies in different categories from next year. The State would also select one gram panchayat for a State-level environment award.

Mr. Palemar was presenting the “Nairmalya Prashasthi” (sanitation awards) for 2009-10 to Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, five gram panchayats, five schools, and five anganawadis in the district. The panchayat raj institutions in the district had together bagged a cash prize of Rs. 57.95 lakh for maintaining good sanitation.

Debris dumping

Referring to steps planned to prevent the dumping of debris on roads, the Minister said the government would introduce a State-level toll-free helpline number where people could call and leave the registration numbers of vehicles that were dumping debris in unauthorised places. The informers would be rewarded with Rs.1,000. In case more than one person tipped off about violation of norms by the same vehicle, the first informer would be rewarded.

After receiving the information, the call centre would forward the message to authorities concerned in those areas and the vehicles which dumped debris would be seized.

The Minister said the government would issue a circular shortly and the toll-free number would be announced with the circular.

Law

The Minister said the government was thinking of enacting a law to prevent roadside dumping of debris in the State.

Mr. Palemar said the dumping of debris on roads was becoming a menace. People would have to cooperate to prevent it by informing about vehicles dumping them.

He suggested that gram panchayats and elected representatives not allow dumping of debris on roadsides.

The Minister said that teachers had a major role to play in creating awareness among students on sanitation. In the State-level category for zilla panchayats, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat had bagged the first place with Nairmalya Ratna Award with cash prize of Rs. 30 lakh.

Panchayat president K.T. Shailaja Bhat received the award from the Minister.

Rare feat

Hosangady Gram Panchayat in Belthangady taluk has bagged the first place in four categories of award. They are the State-level Nairmalya Ratna Award (Rs. 10 lakh), divisional-level Swarna Nairmalya Award (Rs. 5 lakh), district-level Rajatha Nairmalya Award (Rs. 3 lakh), and the taluk-level Nairmalya award (Rs. 1 lakh). Its representatives took the award with a total cash prize of Rs. 19 lakh. Ira Gram Panchayat, Bantwal taluk, secured second place in the district with Rajatha Nairmalya Award (Rs. 2 lakh) and first place in taluk-level with Nairmalya Award (Rs. 1 lakh) and got a total cash prize of Rs. 3 lakh.

The 34 Nekkilady Gram Panchayat, Puttur Taluk, which stood third in the district level and first in the taluk level, was presented with a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh. Kilpady Gram Panchayat, Mangalore taluk, and Aletti Gram Panchayat, Sullia taluk, which bagged first place in taluk level, were given cash prizes of Rs. 1 lakh each.

Legislative Deputy Speaker N. Yogish Bhat, and MLAs B. Ramanatha Rai and U. T. Khader were present.

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