Madikeri: Chief Executive Officer of the Kodagu Zilla Panchayat K. Sundar Naik has recommended to the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (RDPR) Department to initiate action against the Executive Officer of the Somwarpet Taluk Panchayat with regard to the "hakku patra" racket.

District in-charge Minister Ramachandra Gowda had asked Mr. Naik, to place the officer under suspension for the alleged lapses. Mr. Naik, who sent a report to the RDPR Department recently, was asked by the department to clarify certain points to prove charges against the officer. Mr. Naik told presspersons that he had issued clarifications sought by the Department on Thursday.

Mr. Naik said that more than 350 fake "hakku patras" were seized from a printing press in Somwarpet town recently.

The job of issuing "hakku patra" had been entrusted to the respective gram panchayats since last one and half years. Beneficiaries are required to pledge the sites with the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation to be able to get financial assistance and without "hakku patra" sites could not be pledged.

Workshop

Mr. Naik said that all norms had been followed in organising a workshop on promoting tourism in Kodagu with the involvement of panchayati raj institutions. It was said the all gram panchayats could invest up to Rs. 35,000 initially to collate various information to promote tourism in their respective areas. Later, the money could be made could by the panchayats by selling required information to the parties interested in developing tourism and related works.

Mr. Naik said that a scheme to distribute tarpaulins and rugs to 600 tribal families had been completed. All procedures were followed before awarding the bid and distribution of materials. Of the Rs. 30 lakh available for the purpose, the supplier had sought a bill for Rs. 26 lakh. But, the Department of Social Welfare, Bangalore, had asked the zilla panchayat not to distribute the products since they were of sub-standard quality. However, a subsequent instruction said that no money should be paid to the supplier. But, the supplier had moved the court.

Dharna

The Budakattu Krishikara Sangha, led by J.P. Raju, organised a dharna at the Fort here to demand a Lokayukta probe into the alleged irregularities in the distribution of various benefits to the tribal people under the Integrated Tribal Development Programme scheme in Kodagu.

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