JOIN USThe issue of cancellation of ration cards for not producing RR number besides not issuing new ration cards rocked the meeting. The members raised their concerns over the problems of irregularities in distributing ration cards. Member Ananthkumar Muwadi said that about 40 per cent of the houses do not have electricity facilities in their homes, it is unjustifiable to make RR number mandatory for issuing ration cards.
Member Geethanjali Suvarna alleged that there are different parameters for poor and rich. They demanded Assistant Commissioner to respond to the questions over ration cards. However, the CEO informed that the AC is unable to attend the meeting as he was in Bangalore following the call from Principal Secretary, he added.
Muwadi said as Udupi district is known as the land of learned, all experiments are done on the people here. Unscientific measures are adopted in distributing the ration cards.
Almost all government schemes demand ration cards as mandatory criteria.
Public should not be harassed for unnecessary reasons, he opined. Another issue that rocked the floor was the absence of the officials from various departments in the meeting without prior permission of the House.
Ananthkumar Muwadi said it is unreasonable to hold the proceedings of the house without the clarifications of the officials concerned for the queries raised in the meeting. He said it is only after the commencement of the meeting, the absence of the officials will be known, he added. Measures should be taken against the officials who are not attending the meeting without informing the house.
Taluk Panchayath President Devdas Hebbar expressed his dissatisfaction over the shortage of officials in Taluk Panchayat especially in accounts department. He said most of the financial transaction concerned with as many as 61 Gram Panchayaths should takes place in TP. There is no single officer in the accounts department, he added.
The Environment department official was not available to answer the queries in the meet, as he had accompanied the DC in field visit.
The Members demanded that DC should not ask the officials of various departments to accompany him to visit the places on the day of ZP general body meeting. They argued that environment department is more concerned about the well being of the companies, rather than the interest of public safety. Muwadi ridiculed that mockery of the house is done by the officials, he added.
Member Uday Kotyan demanded clarification on the compensation packages given away to the damages of the areca nut plantation owing to the fruit rot disease.
Horticulture department in charge officer A B Sanjay informed that random survey is done to estimate the loss. As many as Rs 7491.21 lakhs have been estimated as the loss that is incurred.
Members alleged that department officials have asked bribe from the farmers during the process of survey. Chief Executive Officer Prabhakar Sharma asked the in charge officer to come out with the clarifications regarding the funds collected by the farmers, he said.
Member Surpitha Shetty alleged that displaced people in the Varahi project are not compensated properly, she said.