JOIN USThe District Planning Committee meeting that was called to discuss budget requirements for the fiscal 2012-13, was closed owing to a decision taken by committee members, including zilla panchayat president Suneetha Veerappagowda and vice-president Shivaram in the presence of ZP CEO Satyavathi.
Notice to absentees
Committee member D Padmanabh insisted that showcause notice be issued on officers who weren’t present for the meeting, though they had sent their assistants or subordinates, with data, to the meeting.
Insisting that attendance be made mandatory before the meeting begins, since it allows time to summon the absentees into the meeting, Padmanabh said this attitude of taking such important meeting for granted cannot be tolerated.
Some of the officers have sent wrong information and incorrect data to the meeting, and it cannot even be clarified since the officers aren’t here. “This has to be taken as a serious breach of duties and such meetings should be organised once every three months,” he insisted.
ZP vice-president Shivaram said zilla panchayats were highly regarded in Kerala, and this has to be strengthened in Karnataka too, to empower villages.
No quorum
“We lack quorum for the meeting to continue. However, officers should make it a point to be present at the next meeting and give their feedback on shooting the progress indicator in the district,” he added.
The meeting was postponed to December 27, with CEO Satyavati announcing that disciplinary action would be initiated against those who failed to turn up at the next meeting. Various officers and authorities from different departments were present at the meeting.