JOIN USZilla panchayat chief executive officer (CEO) M R Ravi on Tuesday directed officials to explore the possibilities of improving drinking water sources by preventing the water from going waste in rivulets at Elaneeru.
Elaneeru is a remote ward near Kudremukh National Park, coming under Malavanthige gram panchayat limits, Belthangady taluk, in the district. Addressing a gathering of villagers from Elaneeru, during a meeting convened to deliberate on development works, Ravi came out with aforementioned suggestion, following a demand for sinking borewells. The villagers, during a gram sabha held on the eve of the meeting, on Monday, had resolved to impress upon the authorities concerned with 16 demands.
One of the demands was to seek permission to sink borewell near community hall to provide drinking water connection to health centre, anganwadi kendra and community hall.
Ravi, who dissuaded them from sinking borewells, instead informed that there is a provision for building small check dams by spending up to Rs five lakh under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (NREGA), under gram panchayat limits.
Ravi, in a bid to instil confidence among the people, directed the officials to prepare a rough estimate by conducting spot inspections in this regard. If need arises, the government will sanction additional funds, he promised.
When some of the villagers sounded reluctant regarding most of the promises such as better road connectivity from Didupu to Elaneeru and street lights covering those 18 families inside Kudremukh National Park, remaining on paper still, the officer wanted villagers to be patient.
Demands given
A set of 16 demands were submitted from Malavanthige gram panchayat, that includes Elaneeru ward. They are: Development of Badamane road in the particular ward, besides building retaining wall on the roadside, development of Badamane-Kurekallu road, release of fund under remote inland development plan for particular ward, separate linemen, new anganwadi building at Gutyadka and laying pipes to check accumulation of water near the school area, and erecting telephone towers to name a few.
Various works
During the ongoing year, five works have been completed utilising Rs 3.1 lakh earmarked for road development under 14th Finance Commission against Rs 3.84 lakh spent towards development of roads under 13th Finance Commission and Rs 6.54 lakh towards concretisation of the same.
Till now, from 2009-10 to 2016-17, a total of Rs eight lakh has been spent under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Nrega), followed by distribution of Rs 1.35 lakh to 30 beneficiaries, According to available information, Elaneeru ward has a population of 682 from 141 families, that include 29 belonging to scheduled tribe, 32 minorities and 80 others. The total area is spread over 165.39 hectares including a part of kudremukh national park.