KOZHIKODE: The Public Works Department's move to tar roads that come under the jurisdiction of the Kozhikode district panchayat has drawn sharp protest from district panchayat president K.P. Kunhammedkutty.

He has asked the officials of the Public Works Department to stop the tar-laying work, as the district panchayat had either spent a huge amount to repair the road or was getting ready to do so.

Besides, the PWD authorities had not obtained the permission of the district panchayat to repair the roads.

Mr. Kunhammedkutty alleged that the Public Works Department's move was part of a plan to usurp the powers of district panchayat.

`Work commissioned'

The panchayat president said the district panchayat had asked the Ooralunkal Labour Contract Societyto take up repair works on Kuttiadi-Kaipramkadavu-Valakkettu road in Kuttiadi-Velam panchayats.

A sum of Rs.26 lakhs would be spent on the repair work. Tarring of the road was under way. However, the Public Works Department is also planning to spend Rs.22 lakhs on tarring and other repair works on the road once again, the district panchayat president said.

He said the Public Works Department had sanctioned Rs.20 lakhs for maintenance of the Thottumukkom - Valillappuzha Road in Kodiyathur panchayat even as the district panchayat was preparing estimates for the work.

The district panchayat president said the Public Works Department was getting ready to spend a sum of Rs.20 lakhs on maintenance of the Transformermukku-Nambiathankundu road thats falls in Naripetta panchayat.

He said the district panchayat had decided to repair the road following a request from the panchayat.

As many as 52 roads had been handed over to the district panchayat by the Government, he said.

Under the rules, maintenance works on these can be taken up only after obtaining prior permission of the district panchayat, Mr. Kunhammdkutty said .

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