The Hindu : Karnataka News : Demand for more taluks

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Friday, Jul 27, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Demand for more taluks

M. Ahiraj

Kottur, Kampli have staked claim

BELLARY: “When Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy can get a new district [formed in the name of his constituency] why cannot Home Minister M.P. Prakash?” is the debate that is going on in Bellary district. The decision of the Government to carve out new districts and taluks has also raised the aspirations of the people here. They are now demanding new taluks and possibly a new district.

People of Kottur were the first to demand taluk status for Kottur, a pilgrim centre, in Kudligi taluk. Kampli in Hospet taluk followed suit.

Some enthusiasts from Hospet have gone a step further demanding that Bellary district (which has seven taluks) be bifurcated and a new district, to be named as Vijayanagar, be formed with Hospet, which is adjacent to Hampi, as the headquarters.

But the only difference is that the Chief Minister took keen interest in getting Ramanagaram district formed, while a similar gesture was not forthcoming from Mr. Prakash. Instead, Mr. Prakash has made it clear that there was no proposal before the Government to carve out new districts/taluks.

He also reportedly took exception to the people demanding taluk status now as they had not made any such proposal when he was the Revenue Minister. He has said that putting forth such a demand will not serve any purpose when a decision has been made by the Government in the matter.

Incidentally, the two committees on reorganisation of districts and taluks, one headed by Hundekar and the other by Gaddigoudar, have only recommended the formation of Kurgodu taluk (which is now part of Bellary district) only.

However, the reported statement of Mr. Prakash seems not to have come as a damper for the people of Kottur, who have intensified their agitation, which they launched about 20 days ago.

The response to the bandh call given by the New Taluk Horata Samiti on Wednesday was good. All shops and business establishments, including pharmacies, hotels, restaurants, and education institutions, remained closed in support of the bandh.

Buses were off the road causing inconvenience to the passengers. A large number of people, representing a cross-section, participated in a procession and staged a dharna. They have been demanding that the Government take immediate steps to appoint a special tahsildar for Kottur before August 2.

The agitation is being led by, among others, Swamiji of Chanukoti Math, Sawajji Rajendra Prasad, J. Basavaraj Babanna and Thindappa.

Recently, a bandh was held at Kampli urging the Government to grant Kampli, which was declared an Assembly segment during the delimitation of constituencies, the status of taluk.

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