Chaos, walkout marks DK ZP meet

Ruling partys moves not transparent, alleges Oppn members

The last general meeting of the Zilla Panchayat President K T Shailaja Bhat did not end in a happy note. Instead, the meeting saw walk out by the Congress members over the issue of shifting of sanctioned anganwadi building under Nabard project and refusal to read out the original list sanctioned.

Raising the issue, Member Mamatha Gatti said 35 anganwadi buildings were sanctioned by the Nabard. Accordingly, one was sanctioned to Shanthinagara in Sajipamunnur. However, the sanctioned anganwadi building has been shifted to Kotekani which is against the rules. “The lists which were sanctioned under Nabard can not be shifted in the Zilla Panchayat general meeting nor by the standing committee on social justice. However, a conspiracy has been hatched to make the changes in the list.”

She urged the Women and Child Welfare department Deputy Director Shakunthala to read out the list which was sanctioned by the Nabard. However, the ruling members and the Zilla Panchayat President refused to allow to read out the list, to which, member Devaraj said that refusal to read out the list is a dishonour to the members. He said that the Zilla Panchayat ruling members are not maintaining transparency in the administration and decided to walk out of the meeting.

Later speaking to mediapersons, Members Mohammed and Mamatha Gatti said that there was misappropriation in the list. “We will submit a memorandum to the DC to withhold the changes made to the list and sanction the original list.”

Shortage of teachers

The Members said that the government has given prioroty to education and the infrastructure facilities have been provided to schools.

 However, there is scarcity of teachers in the schools, which is affecting the study of the students.

Reacting to it, DDPI Moses Jayashekar said that though the students-teachers ratio is as per the guidelines, there is a vacancy of 465 assistant teachers in Dakshina Kannada.

Guest teachers have been recruited for the high schools. However, there was shortage of teachers in the primary schools as well. “We have already written to the government seeking permission for the recruitment of guest teachers for primary schools as well,” he added.

When Member Girija raised the issue of Sarapady school not having science and mathematics teacher, the BEO said that the portion till the mid-term will be completed during Dasara holidays through remedial teaching by appointing guest teachers to the school.

Zilla Panchayat CEO Dr K N Vijayaprakash said that there was shortage of science, mathematics and English teachers to teach in high schools. The sanctioned posts to teach Phsyics and Mathematics is 245, but only 220 posts have been filled. The sanctioned post to CBZ is 171. However, there are only 154 teachers. The sanctioned posts for English is 92, but there are only 78 teachers. At the same time, on an average 35 teachers go on maternity leave in a year, 15 teachers can not attend classes on health grounds, 15 teachers go for higher studies and 35 teachers go on deputation.

Member Mamatha Gatti said that there was acute shortage of classrooms in Sajipamooda PU College. The classes are held in the high school building which too faces acute shortage of classrooms. The PU College was sanctioned seven to eight years ago, to which, the CEO promised to write to DD PU Board to sanction the classrooms.

Missing headmaster

When ZP member C K Chandrakala raised the issue of the headmaster of the Government Higher Primary School at Savya near Naravi in Belthangady taluk, the DDPI said that the headmaster was suspended and the suspension was revoked after six months and has been transferred to other school. However, a charge sheet has been prepared against him and an enquiry officer has been appointed to probe into the incident. “Once we get the detailed report, stringent action will be initiated against him.”

The issue of revoking the suspension also led to chaos in the meeting.

Land for gas pipeline

When Member Santhosh Kumar Rai urged the KIADB officials not to denotify the acquired Naganakatte and Daivasthana at SC colony in Muloor, the KIADB official said that the land was acquired in 2008 and can not be denotified. “However, we will set aside the Naganakatte and Daivasthana for the devotees as it is. A letter in this regard will be given to the ZP member within a week.”

Zilla Panchayat Vice-President Dhanalakshmi Janardhan was present. The staff of the Zilla Panchayat felicitated Zilla Panchayat President, Vice-President, Standing Committee Presidents, who will complete their term on October 7.

‘DDPI in Coma’

Member Balakrishna Suvarna accused DDPI of suffering from coma and said that he must be shifted to hospital. The use of terms were disliked by the Congress memebers who in turn demanded the member to take back the words. Mamatha Gatti alleged that the weakness of the ZP President is evident in the words used by Suvarna. This led to confusion and chaos in the meeting with the members from the ruling and the opposition levelling allegations against each other.

When the chaos continued, MLC Monappa Bhandary said that the members have committed a mistake by using few unparliamentary words. “It is not good to continue the allegations against each other. Let us stop the discussion over the issue.”