The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Uproar in zilla panchayat over plan being sent for approval

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 17, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Uproar in zilla panchayat over plan being sent for approval

Special Correspondent

Members term the move undemocratic, a serious lapse
They decide to condone the lapse by officials

BANGALORE: The first general meeting of the Bangalore Rural Zilla Panchayat on Tuesday under its new president and vice-president witnessed uproarious scenes over an action plan sent to the Government without, according to some members, discussion in the panchayat. The members termed it undemocratic and a serious technical lapse.

‘Not on the agenda’

Raising the issue, chairman of the standing committee H.P. Cheluvaraju from Nelamangala said the action plan for 2007-08 was not on the agenda of the meeting held on July 10. However, the action plan had been sent to the Government for approval. The action plan was an important document that acted as a roadmap for the development of the district. Every member was entitled to see the final document and discuss it. But officials of the panchayat had sent it to the Government. Therefore, it must be recalled, he said.

He appealed to the president, C. Muniyappa, to recommend to the Governor to cancel the action plan and direct the Chief Secretary and the Panchayat Raj Department to disregard it.

Pandemonium

Many other members, cutting across the party lines, joined him in condemning the move. There was pandemonium in the hall and nothing of what was being said could be heard. Efforts by the president to quieten the members had no effect.

Finally, when the din died down, chief executive officer K.S. Sathyamurthy said the action plan was discussed in detail in the meeting held on July 10, which was chaired by the former president C. Shantamma.

The action plan had also been circulated among the members in the form of a booklet. He said Ms. Shantamma had permitted him to send the action plan to the Government.

‘It was overdue’

The action plan was overdue by three months a decision had to be taken as the district was drought prone and needed several water projects to be implemented without delay.

However, at the end of the debate, the members agreed to condone the lapse and allow the action plan to be accepted.

Mr. Sathyamurthy also said that members of gram panchayats, the taluk panchayat and the zilla panchayat had given their suggestions. All these had been incorporated in the action plan.

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