Udupi (The HIndu): Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis said on Wednesday that demolition of buildings on six-kilometre stretch of road for widening National Highway 66 in Padubidri town will start soon after the issue of compensation to building owners is resolved.

Speaking to presspersons here, Ms. Francis said that Shilpa Nag, Assistant Commissioner, was already sorting out the compensation issue. Many building owners had opted for compensation, even as some said that they were yet to get compensation.

Some building owners had started demolishing those sections of their buildings which were coming in the way of the proposed widening work.

Navayuga, which was undertaking the widening (four-laning) of the national highway on that stretch, had started marking the buildings indicating the extent to which they should be demolished, she said.

Water shortage

As regards the drinking water situation in the district, Ms. Francis said that water was being supplied through tankers in 60 villages in the district. But there were fewer complaints of scarcity in rural areas when compared to last year. This could be due to better preparation and water conservation measures taken by them. But there were complaints of water scarcity in Udupi and Saligrama, which were being handled by the local municipalities, she said.

On fencing stone quarries in the light of the death of two persons at Alevoor on April 25, Ms. Francis said that the Department of Mines and Geology had issued notices to the owners of the quarries directing them to fence the quarry units, failing which their licences would not be renewed. The department had fenced three quarries in the district, she said.

On the safety of schoolchildren being transported in vehicles during monsoon in the light of the death of eight schoolchildren at Trasi village in the district on June 21, 2016, Ms. Francis said that the administration would soon be calling a meeting of school principals, autorichshaw operators and van drivers transporting schoolchildren. They would be told to follow all safety norms while carrying children in school buses, autorickshaws and vans.

The school principals would be directed not to penalise drivers of school buses, autorickshaws and vans carrying schoolchildren if they were late in reaching schools during the monsoon. All schools would have to compulsorily hold safety committee meetings comprising all stakeholders regularly and follow the guidelines of the Supreme Court on transportation of schoolchildren, she said.