Karnataka - Madikeri   

Probe sought into proposed tourism project

Staff Correspondent

`ZP Chief Executive Officer has gone against decisions taken at meeting'

MADIKERI: Addanda C. Cariappa, member of the Virajpet taluk panchayat in Kodagu, on Wednesday, said the move to develop tourism in rural areas of the district using funds from the gram panchayats was a scam and the issue must be investigated thoroughly.

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Cariappa, who brought to light the alleged fake title deed racket in Somwarpet taluk recently, said Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayat had violated the decisions taken at a zilla panchayat meeting on April 25 by awarding the contract to a party from the neighbouring Sullia taluk. The person who had bagged the contract ran a newspaper in Sullia, Mangalore and other places in Dakshina Kannada district. If the officer was found guilty, he must be transferred immediately, he said.

The zilla panchayat meeting held on April 25 had decided to invite tenders from local people to award the contract. The aim of the project was to develop tourism in the panchayat limits in Kodagu since there was scope to do so.

Home stay facilities in villages had attracted people in large numbers to Kodagu thanks to the serene rural surroundings.

Funds for tourism development would come from the gram panchayats and other departments, he said. Each gram panchayat had been told to contribute between Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 35,000, which would amount to more than Rs. 25 lakh (covering 98 gram panchayats), Mr. Cariappa said. Other departments would contribute more than Rs. 15 lakh.

Again, in violation of the decision of the meeting, a workshop was organised at the Old Assembly Hall on May 3 in a hurried manner to publicise the project. However, none of the newspapers in Kodagu published a report covering the workshop, he said. The officer asked the presidents and secretaries of the panchayats in the workshop to earmark funds ranging from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 35,000 for the implementation of the project, Mr. Cariappa alleged.

He said district in-charge Minister Ramachandra Gowda who was here a couple of days ago, was also impressed with the project. He had brought the issue to the notice of the president and vice-president of the zilla panchayat.

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