Pics: Pareekshith Shet
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Jan 7: A new boat costing about Rs 99,000 was sanctioned to enable people to cross River Swarna between Havanje and Herga villages in the taluk from out of the natural calamity fund of the government. The villagers of Havanje, in a letter addressed to the district deputy commissioner through the tahsildar, have complained that the president and panchayat development officer of the panchayat, for political reasons, have refused to receive the boat.
"President of Trivarna Vishwa Vedike, Satish Poojary Keelanje along with members of the organization and others, put in arduous efforts and succeeded in getting boat facility sanctioned from the government. MLA, Pramod Madhwaraj, and tahsildar of the taluk also extended support and helped in getting the demand of Keelanje Nere Colony and Herga villagers met," they said in the letter.
At a function held on January 1 at Keelanje V B Hegde higher primary school premises, in the presence of Pramod Madhwaraj, who presided, the boat was handed over to former president of the gram panchayat and current panchayat member, Rashmi Shedti, and village accountant. As per protocol, panchayat development officer (PDO) and president should have been present at the function to receive the boat but both of them purposefully violated protocol and remained absent. Getting physical possession of the boat has been rendered difficult as legally panchayat development officer is needed to take over possession of the boat on behalf of panchayat, the letter claims. Therefore, the boat continues to remain in the taluk office compound here, it says. The villagers claim that the PDO Vilasini has personal grudge against Satish Poojary, hence she has not accepted the new boat.
The signatories to the letter also said that the panchayat development officer of Havanje is working only for the political party that is in power in Havanje gram panchayat now, and neglecting others, and asking for bribe when people approach her for work. They have therefore requested to transfer the panchayat development officer and initiation of legal steps against her so that the people of Havanje can get the boat they are badly in need of, and get rid of an official who is greedy for money.