Kodagu to get fourth taluk today

Finally, Kodagu district - one of the tiny districts in the state, will get its fourth taluk on Sunday.

Ponnampet taluk will be officially inaugurated by Ministers R Ashoka and Narayana Gowda.

People are happy about the carving of the new taluk after a decade-long struggle for the same.

Kodagu is a district surrounded by hilly areas where the houses are scattered in interior areas. The residents of Ponnampet had to travel all the way to Virajpet for any work in the government offices.

The distance between Virajpet and Ponnampet made the people demand taluk status for Ponnampet.

Demanding taluk status for Ponnampet, senior advocates Mathanda Appachu, Bheemaiah, M R Cariappa, senior leaders Pucchimada Harish Devaiah, A A Ermu and M S Kushalappa, under the guidance of former MLC C S Arun Machaiah have been submitting memorandums to successive governments for the last 10 years.

When the Congress-led government was in power, the Horata Samithi had staged a massive protest and the villagers in and around Ponnampet had organised a 70-day-long dharna.

It was during the Congress-JD(S) coalition government that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had announced taluk status for Ponnampet and Kushalnagar. Now, the BJP-led government has officially declared the new taluk.

Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy had sent a list of villages that come under the jurisdiction of Ponnampet taluk to the principal secretary of the revenue department a few months ago. A separate list of hoblis and forest cover has also been prepared.

Ponnampet in the past was called ‘Kiggattunadu’ and was a taluk headquarter. The name is still seen on the granite name board of old primary schools.

It was Diwan Ponnappa who built Ponnampet town by including Halligattu and Mathuru villages, way back in 1800.

As the area expanded with the increase in population, Ponnampet became a town, reminisce the senior residents.

12 new posts in new taluk

MLA K G Bopaiah said that the government has ordered for the filling of 12 new posts in the new taluk.

This includes tahsildar, shirastedar, first division assistant, food inspector and second division assistant. The government in its order has asked to appoint typist, driver and D group employee by outsourcing.

Meanwhile, Kushalnagar taluk will be officially inaugurated shortly. The state government has sanctioned Rs 25 lakh for the new taluk, to initiate the administrative mechanism.