Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Dec 12: State Lokayukta has instructed the zilla panchayat chief executive officer of Dakshina Kannada to recover excess salary, allowances, and other monetary benefits disbursed to a gram panchayat member of Mundoor gram panchayat.

Allegedly, Satish Poojary Naitady had functioned as the vice president of Mundoor gram panchayat, besides working as the pump operator of the village. Honorarium relating to the posts of vice presidentship, membership, and pump operator,had been disbursed to him.

The order has asked the above officer to recover the above emoluments besides taking steps to invalidate his membership of the gram panchayat. The order is issued because a member of the gram panchayat cannot work in a position of profit.

John Pinto, a right to information activist from Kemminje village had obtained details of remuneration paid to Poojary. He found out that Satish Poojary Naitady was paid vice president's honorarium of Rs 7,750, membership honorarium of Rs 3,900, and salary of Rs 1,10,000 per year for working as pump operator.

Pinto initially had complained to the taluk panchayat and zilla panchayat with copies of records. As no steps were taken in response to his complaint, he filed a complaint with the Lokayukta against Satish Poojary Naitady, Mundoor gram panchayat development officer, taluk panchayat executive officer and zilla panchayat chif executive officer.

Karnataka Lokayukta, Dr Y Bhaskar Rao, taking serious note of the above wrong payments, after holding investigation, ordered recovery of salary and allowances wrongly paid to Satish Poojary. He also asked the zilla panchayat chief executive officer to take step to invalidate the membership of Satish Poojary Naitady.