Malpe, Thirthalli road work soon, declared NH169A

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Mangaluru, August 14, 2016: Issues related to health and national highways dominated the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee meeting here on Aug 13, Saturday.

The meeting was informed that a DPR, Detailed Project Report for the widening of the Malpe-Tirthahalli Road, which had been upgraded to National Highway 169A. The DPR was being prepared in five stages excluding the Agumbe Ghat.   The land acquisition issues too would be included in the DPR. The highway would be developed for driving at a speed of 60 to 80 kilometres per hour. The DPR was expected to be ready in five months. The Udupi-Athrady stretch too was included in it, the officer said.

Rohini, District Health and Family Welfare Officer, said that as many as 350 cases of dengue had been reported in the district since January 2016, while one person had succumbed to it at Mala village near Karkala. One person had died due to suspected dengue, which was yet to be confirmed.

There were about 5,000 persons living with HIV in the district. The district was in the Red Zone as far HIV/AIDS was concerned. The  ART, Anti Retroviral Therapy  Centre here had no doctor. As many as 176 cases of snake bite had been reported in the district and one person had died due to it

As many as 259 cases of tuberculosis had been reported in the district. There were 90 cases of tuberculosis in June alone, while there were 34 cases of multi-drug resistance to it in the district, she said.

Local MP, Shobha Karandlaje, said that the Health and Family Welfare Department should involve NGOs in an effective manner to create more awareness about HIV/AIDS in the district. The services of the members of gram panchayats, taluk panchayats and zilla panchayat too could be roped for this purpose, she said