GP office turns into haven for drunkards

As a result of the administration’s alleged negligence, Gram Panchayat office premises in Hullehalli, Birur, has become an abode of illegal activities.

The people visiting the Gram Panchayat office and the students studying in the school nearby are fed-up with the situation.

As the stormwater drain has not been cleaned, the sewage water is flowing near the Gram Panchayat office.

Parents of the schoolchildren and people who visit the GP office said that the officials and elected members of the Gram Panchayat have been speaking of their helplessness to cope up with the situation and to do the needful.

According to the officials, there are no funds with the local administration as the revenue collection is not up to the expectation.

Gram Panchayat President Mamatha Vijayakumar said that there is lack of coordination between GP members and officials. A tax amount of Rs 17 lakh is pending for recovery. The panchayat development officer is also not cooperating. The contractors demand Rs 70,000 for desilting the drains. An amount of Rs 8 lakh obtained through the 14th finance commission grants has been spent, she said.

The panchayat development officer was not in the office when this correspondent visited the Gram Panchayat and his phone was out of reach despite attempts to contact him.

A villager, who accompanied a child to the school said that the PDO is known for giving lame excuses when it comes to development works. He is the most irregular in his duties.

The school building is getting dilapidated due to stagnant water in the drain, which is adjacent to the school. The school has become a mosquito breeding site. Many students get sick because of this, he said.

School Headmaster Chandrashekhar said that the school building has become an abode of drunkards, who discard the liquor containers in the premises of the school.

The students have been cleaning the discarded sachets of liquor, littered in the school premises. Even though the problem has been conveyed to the concerned authorities, no action has been initiated, he said.

The schoolchildren and teachers have urged the Gram Panchayat to initiate necessary steps to maintain cleanliness and to facilitate a learning atmosphere in the school.