JOIN USForget constructing roads; we want water first of all, demanded residents of Kuppanahalli.Former legislator M Narayanaswamy visited Kuppanahalli on Friday to inaugurate work on construction of a road in the village, but was stopped by a group of residents, who also tried preventing the inauguration.
“People as well as cattle are suffering without drinking water. Turning a blind eye to the problems in the region, you are only inviting more trouble in a peaceful village by unnecessarily trying to start work on a road on the outskirts of the village,” the group accused the ex-MLA.
Narayanaswamy has been traversing the taluk the last three days, inaugurating work on construction of cement roads in various villages under the Chief Minister's Rural Road Development Project.
When, on Friday, he went to the spot where the ground-breaking ceremony would take place, however, a resident of Kuppanahalli called Muniyappa came to the place and claimed to Narayanaswamy that the space allotted for construction of the cement road was a private road. “This is the route we use to walk from our field to our house. It will therefore be illegal if you construct a contact road here,” said Muniyappa to the people who were participating in the inaugural ceremony.
This led to a verbal clash between Muniyappa and Narayanaswamy, former Taluk Panchayat member from the constituency, who was present for the ceremony. As the tussle heated up, groups were formed supporting either of the parties, leading to a tense situation.
In the midst of all the confusion and brawl, the ground-breaking ceremony could not be conducted.
Ex-MLA’s vim surprises residents
The number of projects former MLA Narayanaswamy is undertaking in the taluk in recent days has raised eye-brows. There is talk going on about how the State Warehouse Board chairman has been working more for development of the taluk after becoming an ex-legislator rather than while he held the post. He used to implement about one project in Bangarpet every month while he had been a legislator, but now, after resigning as legislator, he is inaugurating about 10 new projects in the taluk almost everyday.