PUTTANNAIAH URGES FOR KODAGU DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY;

Madikeri April 10, 2007

State Farmers Association president Puttannaiah has urged government to form Kodagu Authority to develop the district.

After Inaugurating the Jatha at Talacauvery yesterday to protest the Cauvery Water sharing decision, Puttannaiah addressed scribes and said that Kodagu should be given due importance since it is the birth place of Cauvery. River Cauvery is the source of living for many in different states and it is shameful to ignore the origin, he opined. Kodagu which has contributed its might to the state should be given a bounty in the form of Development Authority, he said.

He disclosed that the Farmers association will approach high court against the cauvery decision and fight for the right. He urged the centralgovernment to solve the dispute and felt that the inter state dispute should have been solved away from court.

Lashing out at the decision of Unit system in BPL card, he mockingly urged the ministers and politicians to use four kilograms of rice per month.

Belagola Subramanya, Harish, Jayaram and others were present.

Earlier, four youth began their protest march from talacauvery, against the cauvery water verdict. They stayed at Madikeri and began their march in the morning.

WATER TESTING IN KODAGU;

Chief executive Officer of Zilla Panchayayth, Sundar Naik has instructed the concerned officials to examine the contamination level in the drinking water in Kodagu within fifteen days and submit a report.

Addressing the meeting of officials at his chamber, he stated that reports of diseases are being received from many parts of the district and water could be the sources of it. He insisted that the cause of these diseases should be investigated within four days.

Naik asked the concerned officials to send water samples to Zilla panchayath for testing. He stated that people should be made aware of the danger of consuming stagnant water. Authorities are asked to maintain cleanliness around source of water and they were also asked to check water tankers for hygiene.

Besides, he also addressed the problem of stray dogs and said that they should be controlled under Panchayath Raj act.