Minister Ashok inaugurates Kodagu taluk

Kodagu: One year and nine months after announcement of Ponnampet as a new taluk in Kodagu district, it was officially inaugurated by Revenue Minister R. Ashok, at Ponnampet on Sunday. Ponnampet in south Kodagu is carved out of Virajpet taluk.

Mr Ashok said that the new taluk comprises Ponnampet, Srimangala, Hudikeri and Baalele, and 49 villages, 21 gram panchayats. It is spread over 1025 square km and has 1,01,157 population. Rajiv Gandhi Nagarahole National Park, Irpu Falls, Rajeshwari, Mruthyunjaya and Kunda hills, Eeshwari temple fall in the new taluk. Towards building basic administrative infrastructure for the new taluk, Rs 25 lakh has been released and 12 new posts have been sanctioned. The minister said the taluk was created in order to take administration closer to the people and fulfill the long-standing demand of the region.

Mr Ashok said that they will also launch Kushalnagar taluk centre too shortly The taluk was announced in 2018 by the Kumaraswamy government .

Minister for Municipal Administration Narayangowda, MLAs K G Bopaiah and Appachchu Ranjan, MLCs Veena Achchaiah and Sunil Subramani, Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy and others were present.

Kodagu has three other taluks namely Madikeri, Virajpet and Somwarpet. Situated at the eastern slopes of Western Ghats, Kodagu is at South-Western part of Karnataka. It is known for its nature's bounty, and over 20 percent of people here depend on tourism and 50 percent of State's coffee production (State's production 2.25 tons) come from here.

Speaking to media persons at Ponnampet, Mr Ashok said that the BJP high command will take right decision at right time on cabinet expansion. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will keep his word and induct into cabinet all those to whom he promised ministerial berths. They should have patience, he remarked.

On change of Chief Minister, he said, "When I had been to Delhi last week there were no such indications. I personally feel that Mr Yeddyurappa will continue as CM for the next two and half years," Mr Ashok said.

On CM Mr B S Yeddyurappa's political secretary Santhosh's suicide attempt, he said, "He might have taken the extreme decision due to personal reasons. Once he is discharged, he will make a media statement and reveal the exact reason.

He accused the Congress of making baseless allegations out of frustration of losing several of its leaders at State and national level.

Giving a new twist to the suicide attempt made by CM's political secretary Santosh, minister Narayangowda it was only a medicine reaction. "Santhosh is fine and will be discharged soon," he said.