The Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat members made a hue and cry over the blocking of applications under various housing schemes, due to which the beneficiaries are not availing benefits.

In order to press the government to exempt the district from all criteria and allow the completion of houses sanctioned since 2010, a resolution was passed in the Zilla Panchayat general body meeting on Monday, to form a delegation led by the ZP President and meet the district-in-charge minister at the earliest. The ZP members alleged the officials of blocking the houses even if the beneficiary slightly deviates from the norm.

If majority of the houses are blocked and subsidy amount is not released, what is the point in introducing such scheme? they questioned. Of the 18,584 houses sanctioned in the district under Basava Vasathi Yojane in 2010-11, only 7,989 houses have been completed.

ZP President Asha Thimmappa Gowda said that there was official lapse in not making aware of the rules and regulations under housing schemes to the beneficiaries. Zilla Panchayat CEO Tulasi Maddineni assured of mending the lapses, if any. She said that owing to the repeated complaints in the implementation of housing schemes, Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation is planning to change the format of selection of beneficiaries.

“As there has been doubts over the selection of genuine beneficiaries in the past, the Housing Corporation has decided to prepare a list of beneficiaries, declare it open and call for objections. The new procedure may be implemented within few months,” she said.
NOC from GP

The issue of illegal quarrying and sand mining came for a lengthy discussion in the meeting.  ZP member Eshwar Kateel alleged that a private individual is indulging in illegal quarrying in 45 acre government land at Arasule Padav in Ekkaru gram panchayat.

Despite informing the mines and geology department about the illegal quarrying taking place in the village, no action has been taken so far, he said.

In reply, the officer from mines and geology department assured of closing the quarry and booking a case against the quarry owner.

To put an end to rampant quarrying and sand mining, the general body passed a resolution to write to the government demanding to vest the power of issuing No Objection Certificate with the gram panchayat, in terms of giving licence to quarrying and sand mining in the panchayat limits.

BJP, Cong tussle

The BJP and the Congress members got into a verbal fight over the shifting of New Model College from the premises of Government PU College, Kaniyoor to the premises of Government Higher Primary School, Belandoor in Puttur taluk.

As Puttur Taluk Panchayat President Pulasya Rai expressed opposition over the shifting of the college to primary school premises, the Congress members objected claiming that the issue does not come under the purview of zilla panchayat. The BJP members supported Pualsya Rai stating that the issue is significant as the college is shifted to the school premises and the school comes under the jurisdiction of department of public instructions.

DDPI Moses Jayshekhar evaded the conflict and said that the matter has not come to his notice. However, the ZP President said that the college should not be shifted to the school premises as it may affect the school atmosphere. She urged to maintain the status quo till the committee chaired by Sullia MLA Angara takes a final decision on the issue.