TP members want action against absentee officials

Irked by Mangaluru Taluk Panchayat (TP) officials’ absence at the meeting convened at the Nethravathi auditorium in zilla panchayat premises, TP members lashed out at the ‘indifference’ of officials and demanded stern action against them.

When the TP meet resumed on Thursday morning, there were only a handful of officials of various departments. Even after one hour, senior officials of major departments such as PWD and Mescom did not turn up.

TP members Nagesh Shetty, Vajrakshi and others urged the TP executive officer (EO) Raghu Alanahalli to summon the officials or postpone the meeting. The meeting resumed after the EO assured members that he would take action against the absentees.

Illegal mining

On an allegation that illegal laterite stone mining was going on in a 13-acre gomala land in Neermarga, the executive officer, asked the Mines and Geology Department deputy director to inspect and submit a report.

Taluk Panchayat member Sunil said that Rs 3 crore was released for the development of Ganjimutt-Kuppepadavu road and a tender was awarded to a contractor.

“But the work has not started owing to the negligent attitude of PWD officials,” the member added.

Pending applications

To an issue raised by Nagesh Shetty, the tahsildar said that in Mangaluru taluk, 21,769 applications were received under 94 CC. Out of these, 11,599 were sanctioned and 6,183 are rejected.

“As many as 11,129 title deeds were distributed and 470 are pending. Measures will be taken to clear 1,500 applications before February end,” he assured.

Non-CRZ area

Zilla Panchayat member Sucharita Shetty said that eight-gram panchayats were given permission to extract sand in the non-CRZ area. The facility should be extended to all gram panchayats, he remarked. The tahsildar replied that the scheme was implemented on a pilot basis.

Taluk Panchayat president Muhammed Monu, Vice President Poornima Ganesh, Zilla Panchayat vice president Kasturi Panja and Taluk Panchayat assistant director Sadananda were present in the meeting.