JOIN USDon't forget legislators, ZP president tells TP officers
Taluk executive officers were warned against excluding the names of elected representatives during inauguration of State government-funded development works, as instructed by the guidelines.
Zilla Panchayat president Manjula Venkatesh, speaking during the State Progress Review Meeting in the city on Monday, said, “During a recent inauguration of an Anganwadi in Mulbagal, the name of the legislator was found missing from the list of invitees. A Zilla Panchayat member was sidelined in another function in Bangarpet.”
Ramakrishnappa, assistant executive engineer of the technical division, Bangarpet, was taken to task by vice-president Harish, for forgetting to invite the local Zilla Panchayat members for the development programme in Boodikote recently. “The elected representatives do not get the funds from their homes. When the government funds are being used for the development work, the representatives have as much right as anyone else to know how the work goes on.”
Money matters
The officers of the Land Army too were censured. T Badanur, deputy secretary of the ZP, asked them if, when they carry out work worth lakhs of rupees, they cannot have handouts worth just a few hundred rupees printed.
“Information on the work you carry out does not reach the local representatives. The government sends regular instructions on protocol issues, but they continue to be ignored,” he alleged.
K R Kittappa, president of the standing committee, accused fair price shopowners at Hosahalli in Mulbagal taluk of cheating ration card holders by stashing away stock in ragi machines. Senior officers have failed to act in spite of repeated complaints on the matter, he added.
In response, Srinivas, deputy director, denied any irregularities in the working of the fair price shops and insisted the officers were working efficiently.
A verbal tussle between Kittappa and Srinivas ensued and president Manjula, who tried to break peace, instructed the deputy director to visit Hosahalli in person and submit a report on the matter at the next meeting.
Priority to drinking water
President Manjula also instructed the taluk executive officers to use funds granted to each taluk to have borewells sunk. “With a fall in the level of underground water, we are unable to get water even up to 1,300 feet into the earth. Every taluk has been granted Rs 20 lakh for water supply, which should be utilised to the maximum,” she added.
Power connection has been provided to 158 centres in order to draw water from the borewells. Pumps and motors that are out of order need to be repaired immediately, she said.