Govt. to focus on environment-friendly power generation

Expert committee to be set up to formulate policy for Kannada and Culture Department

Minister for Energy, Kannada and Culture V. Sunil Kumar on Sunday said that the Energy Department is contemplating focussing on environment-friendly power generation through solar and wind energy. Energy production utilising thermal power needs to be discouraged, he said.

The Minister was speaking after unfurling the national flag at the district-level Independence Day celebrations at the Mahatma Gandhi Stadium in Ajjarkad, Udupi. Mr. Kumar said that he has envisioned to transform the department to be friendly to consumers, farmers and entrepreneurs in the next two years. He said he wanted to provide power supply to all households that have ration cards in the State and a suitable plan of action will be prepared soon for the purpose.

Mr. Kumar said that he will soon constitute an expert committee to frame a suitable policy for Kannada and Culture Department. While most other departments have their own policy, Kannada and Culture does not, he said. Based on the committee’s report, the new policy will be evolved, he said.

The Minister said that he will be the voice for the long-pending demand to include Tulu language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution even as special encouragement will be given to the traditional art form of the coastal region, Yakshagana. Ubaradka Mittur village in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada district where hundreds laid down their life fighting for Independence even before the first Independence revolution will be declared a heritage village and a memorial will be built.

Mr. Kumar further said that work on the 250-bed district hospital, for which Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai laid the foundation stone on Thursday, will be expedited. Similarly, the government will issue orders to establish a government medical college at Kolalagiri near Udupi, besides sanctioning a well-planned underground drainage system for Udupi and Karkala.

On the occasion, 22 Covid-19 warriors were felicitated for their exemplary service in handling the pandemic. Also, heads of task forces and PDOs of Sanuru, Siddapura and Palimar gram panchayats were felicitated. Heads of Udupi district hospital and Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, were honoured for successful implementation of Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka Scheme in their hospitals.

Udupi Member of Legislative Assembly K. Raghupathi Bhat, Coastal Development Authority Chairman Mattar Rathnakar Hegde, Deputy Commissioner G. Jagadeesha, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Y. Naveen Bhat, Superintendent of Police N. Vishnuvardhan, Coastal Security Police Superintendent of Police Nikhil, City Municipal Council president Sumithra Nayak and others were present.

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