Karnataka - Madikeri   

Civic amenities: two panchayat members offer to resign

By Our Staff Correspondent

By Our Staff

Correspondent

MADIKERI, MAY 28. Two members of the Virajpet Town Panchayat, one from the Congress and another independent, offered to resign from their panchayat membership at a meeting held on the panchayat premises in Virajpet on Friday, after they came under pressure from the Nagarika Samiti, which is fighting for better civic amenities to the citizens of Virajpet town.

According to sources, M.K. Poovaiah, former president and Congress member of the panchayat, and Chandrakala, independent member, announced they would tender resignations on Saturday, if it helped the cause of the Nagarika Samiti, headed by Vasu Nanjappa.

As many as six of the 15 elected members, including Mr. Poovaiah and Ms. Chandrakala, in the panchayat attended the meeting.

The other members of the panchayat who attended the meeting, Kasturi, Soora and Asgar Hussain, said resignation by members would not solve the problem.

Prithvinath, another member, sought time to settle the issue.

The Congress is in majority with 13 members.

Mr. Poovaiah convened the meeting.

The Samiti member, Durgaprasad, wanted all the panchayat members to resign en masse alleging they had failed to respond to the problems of the citizens in the town. Resignations would necessitate a situation for the dissolution of the panchayat, he said.

Mr. Nanjappa took objections when Mr. Poovaiah started speaking about the civic problems virtually revolting against the ruling Congress and attacking the panchayat President, Vijayachandra.

Mr. Nanjappa asked Mr. Poovaiah to suggest solutions.

The Samiti had been demanding that the panchayat take steps to solve the drinking water crisis, improve roads, clear clogged drains and stop implementation of the Self-assessment Scheme for property tax.

Despite deciding to stop the scheme, the panchayat had implemented it. The panchayat had raised the water cess from Rs. 6 to Rs. 45 unilaterally, Mr. Nanjappa alleged.

The term of the panchayat President, Vijayachandra, would come to a close in 15 days.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• Madikeri CMC chief forced to postpone budget presentation
• Civic amenities: two panchayat members offer to resign

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu