'Promoted PDOs should immediately join for duty'

Udupi ZP meet also discusses issues on Varahi, drinking water scheme

The failure on part of the promoted PDOs to take up their respective assignments was the issue that led to the heated arguments among members in the Zilla Panchayat general body meet on Friday.

Raising the issue, Member Babu Shetty demanded clarifications over the promoted PDOs who have failed to report to their respective posts. He said that the PDOs who are supposed to work in their area of assignment have failed to do so and are employed in other places. President Upendra Nayak said it is totally an injustice as the appointments are made where there were vacancies of both Village Secretaries and PDOs.

Hence, it is mandatory on the part of the PDOs who are prompted for the respective posts to report to their jobs. Meanwhile, ZP CEO Prabhakar Sharma said that the government has brought in stringent rules that there should not be any sort of relaxation and also the CEOs and EOs should not depute the PDOs in other GPs.

It is unlawful as per the government rules. However, in Udupi taluk, three promoted PDOs are deputed in other GPs following administrative requirements as there was dire need for their service, he stressed.

Following the views and counter views, the house demanded that the PDOs should immediately report for their respective jobs.

The other issue that led to the heated exchange of words between the members is the allegations surrounding the Karkala EO Chenappa Moily. Member Mamatha Adhikari alleged that Karkala EO is trying to take over the TP president’s post for the reason that she is a woman.

She added that the EO takes independent decisions without taking the president into confidence. In the meantime, the Congress members counter argued that, the BJP members are attempting to politicize the issue for unnecessary reasons.

Congress Member Manjunath Poojary said that the bureaucrats will always have tough task to take the people’s representatives into confidence. In the process, they might commit some mistakes. These petty issues should not be made controversial. The President and CEO assured that the issue would be discussed on Monday with the EO.

The House also took an unanimous resolution demanding clarification over the impending 28 projects selected under Multi Village Drinking Water scheme. Member Katpadi Shankar Poojary urged that the officials should give proper idea over the status of the projects.

The arsenic contents in the water in coastal belt is said to be the cause for the projects as they are still not being considered. The project is in the preliminary scheme report status and is pending before the competent authority for the approval.

The House urged for immediate response from the government as the district will face acute shortage of drinking water in most areas during summer. Member Diwaker Kunder also stressed for the debate over the Varahi irrigation project.

The House also took unanimous resolution urging the government to relax restrictions in Udupi district, over Forms 9 and 11 of Karnataka Panchayat Raj rules. Member Ananth Muwadi said that in Udupi district, majority are small landholders. It is not feasible for the petty landholders to bring under the Forms 9 and 11 rules. He stressed that at least the rural areas should be exempted from the rules.

There was a demand by the members that the Suvarna Bhoomi Yojane should not be carried out through Nirmiti Kendra.

It should be given to Panchayat Raj department for the execution. Kundapur AC Yogeshwar said that the detailed study report over the land allotted to the school in Hosakote and the same land encroached by the teacher and others under Akrama-Sakram Yojane is prepared and further actions will be taken after going through the report. SSA coordinator Nagaraj said that the schools survey will be held in the district from November 6-7 to and the family survey will be held from November 13-17 to track down the school dropouts.