Poll code a hindrance for Mulki to get taluk-tag

The declaration of Assembly election has come as a hindrance to the realisation of the long pending demand of the people of Mulki to give ‘taluk’ status to Mulki.

Due to the continuous fight of the local people, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar after his recent budget presentation where he announced the formation of new taluks in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, had ordered to create a post of tahsildar in Mulki, though retaining it as hobli.

Following the budget announcement, the file related to the appointment of a tahsildar to Mulki has reached the office of the Principal Secretary. But the announcement of election and the code of conduct in force, has delayed the process. The people of Mulki have been demanding to get taluk status since four decades.

They were more upset as the leaders who tried to give taluk status to Moodbidri, had kept Mulki in darkness.

Those who are fighting to attain taluk status to Mulki claim that Mulki has all the eligibility to be a taluk. It has the facilities including port, court, tourist bunglow, sub-registrar office, circle inspector’s office, Nada kacheri, post of deputy tahsildar and others. The committees like Hundekar Committee, Vasudeva Rao committee, Gaddigowdar Committee appointed by the government to study the status of Mulki, had recommended formation of Mulki taluk.

When B S Yeddyurappa was the chief minister in 2009, he had formed a committee chaired by M P Prakash to examine on allotting taluk status to Mulki.

The committee in its report said that it would not be appropriate to grant taluk status to Mulki due to the lack of number of villages, thus disappointing the villagers.

This led to the people of Mulki to unite irrespective of party differences and awareness was brought in village level. The local people took up a fight in 2009, led by Dharmadarshi Harikrishna Punaroor and blocked the road urging to fulfill their demand, on December 29, 2009.

The committee formed to fight for the cause also staged semi-nude protest, blocking national highway, black ribbon protest etc.

Recently, a delegation also visited Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and submitted a memorandum demanding the taluk status.

In the later developments, the CM directed to create a post of tahsildar in Mulki, by retaining it as hobli. But, the election code of conduct has now halted the process.
DH News Service