Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (KM) - pics - Ganesh S Perla

Mangalore, Oct 17: Two taluk panchayat members, Yashwanth Alva and RK Prithvi Raj, staged walk-out twice at taluk panchayat meet as they were not satisfied with the steps taken by R Kantharaju, executive officer, to resolve the issue of providing track suits for students representing Mangalore taluk at district-level sports here on Tuesday October 16.

The walk-out was also a part of the protest against the fact that the issue was repeatedly appearing in the agenda and no proper measures had been taken up in this regard. The members staged walk-out when they were informed by the executive officer that P Shivashankar, deputy secretary, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, in-charge liaison officer between the two bodies was attending another meeting of the ZP.

When other members also decided to follow the unsatisfied members, Kantharaju had no option than informing Shivashankar about the developments. Meanwhile the members gathered in the official chambers of Suresh Shetty, vice-president, to discuss as how to take the fight forward. 

The unsatisfied members decided to go for alternative sources to provide track suits for students representing Mangalore taluk at district-level sports on looking at helplessness of the taluk panchayat that was clearly mentioned in the department reply by Shivashankar that, the track suits could not be financed from the12th Finance Commission funds as it would lead to audit objection. 

The department of youth affairs and sports declared that track suits could not be financed from the 12th Finance Commission as track suits were not considered as sports items, clarified, T J Takat Rao, chief planning officer, Zilla Panchayat in the department reply. 

After a prolonged debate and the second walk-out, the unsatisfied members decided to obtain a copy of the department's letter written to zilla panchayat.